Hyderabad eliminate Multan from PSL playoffs as fans gradually return to stadiums

Hyderabad Kingsmen continued their remarkable turnaround in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) with a thumping eight-wicket win over Multan Sultans in the playoffs as fans gradually started to return to stadiums on Wednesday night.

Hyderabad, led by Marnus Labuschagne of Australia, started its debut season in Pakistan’s premier domestic T20 event with four straight losses before winning five of its last six league games to qualify for the playoffs.

Hyderabad will take on three-time champion Islamabad United on Friday for a spot in Sunday's final against 2017 champion Peshawar Zalmi, led by Babar Azam.

Peshawar routed Islamabad by 70 runs in the qualifier at Karachi on Tuesday on the back of Babar’s second century this season.

Fans arrive for the PSL first eliminator match between Multan Sultans and Hyderabad Kingsmen at the Gaddafi Stadium. AP

A day after Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif approved the return of fans to stadiums for the remaining four PSL games, ticket distribution hit a snag at Karachi before National Bank Stadium got a sizable crowd midway through the second half of the qualifier on Tuesday.

The Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore also didn’t pack to its capacity on Wednesday, but still thousands of fans came to watch the game for the first time this season.

Usman Khan celebrates after scoring fifty as Maaz Sadaqat (C) watches during the PSL first eliminator match at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. AP

Hyderabad pace trio of Akif Javed, Mohammad Ali and Hunain Shah claimed six wickets between them while Saim Ayub and Glenn Maxwell also picked up a wicket each as Multan got restricted at 159-9. Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood made an unbeaten 69, but rest of the Multan batting crumbled against pace and spin.

Hyderabad cruised to 162-2 in 15.2 overs with opening batter Maaz Sadaqat scoring unbeaten 64 off 33 balls and wicketkeeper-batter Usman Khan hitting eight fours and three sixes in his aggressive 64 off 35 balls.

Fans cheer the PSL first eliminator match between Multan Sultans and Hyderabad Kingsmen at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Wednesday night. AP

Pakistan’s biggest sports spectacle had started behind closed doors last month with fans asked to stay home because of soaring fuel prices related to the Iran war.

The government had urged people to restrict travel. Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi also said it wouldn’t be right to have 30,000 fans attending cricket matches every day while the government is asking the public to stay home.

Permission for spectators to attend the four playoff games was granted just 24 hours before the qualifier between Peshawar and Islamabad started.

Last week, Shahbaz approved a request from franchise owners to open the doors to the final before giving approval to the remaining three playoff games on Monday.

Associated Press