Lahore Qalandars secure semi-final berth as Multan Sultans slump to second defeat

Chris Lynn hits unbeaten 113 to secure a nine-wicket win and passage into the knock-out stage

Scorecard

Lahore Qalandars booked a place in the Pakistan Super League semi-finals after Chris Lynn battered a century to beat Multan Sultans at the Gaddafi Stadium.

The Australian struck 113 from 55 - his second three-figure score in the format - to guide his side past their target of 187 with seven balls remaining.

Sultans, who were already assured of top spot and place in the reformed knock-out phase, made 186 for 6 from their 20 overs.

Hopes of setting a formidable total on a ground where scoring runs has been easy were damaged when they were reduced to 4 for 2 after nine balls with Moeen Ali and Zeeshan Ashraf out for single-figure scores.

Shan Masood (42) Ravi Bopara (33) and Khushdil Shah (70) went on the counter-attack and help set a formidable target, with Rohail Nazir chipping in with 24 from 17 balls.

Moeen Ali, the PSL and a very personal cause

In the end, Qalandars made short work of the chase. Fakhar Zaman struck 57 from 35 balls as he and Lynn put on a century partnership in 53 balls for the first wicket.

While Fakhar was eventually dismissed by Osman Qadir, Lynn went on to a fine century with a knock that included a dozen fours and eight sixes.

The nine-wicket success takes Qalandars to 10 points in the group and above Peshawar Zalmi in third place.

They will now face second-place Karachi Kings in the second semi-final on Tuesday back in Lahore, while Sultans will face Zalmi in the other match.

The winners of both will qualify for the PSL final, which has been brought forward to March 18 as part of a raft of measures to reduce the length of the competition amid the growing threat of the coronavirus.

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