The seventh edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) came to a close, leaving behind memories of batsmen hitting towering sixes and bowlers taking wickets during the crucial moments of the matches. Six teams from across Pakistan gave their best in Karachi and Lahore to determine the champion. Multan Sultans were the defending champions, playing the second final of the PSL. They faced the runner-up of 2020 edition, the Lahore Qalandars. Sultans had to score 181 runs to win but fell 42 runs short. Lahore Qalandars won their first PSL title and hoisted the PSL 2022 Championship Trophy under Lahore’s night sky.
Here are some of the most exciting highlights of the eventful PSL 7:
The Firsts
Multan Sultans’ Mohammad Rizwan was the first batsman to score a half-century at the PSL 2022. He scored an unbeaten 52 (47) while playing the first match of the PSL against Karachi Kings. Later, in Match 6, Lahore Qalandars’ Fakhar Zaman became the first player of this year’s PSL to score a century. He scored 106 (60) against Karachi Kings. Zaman hit 12 boundaries and four sixes with a strike rate of 176.66.
In Match 1, Multan Sultans’ Imran Tahir became the first player of PSL 2022 to take three wickets. He took the wickets of Karachi Kings’ Sharjeel Khan, Mohammad Nabi, and Tom Lammonby. He ended the match with figures of 16/3 in four overs.
The first bowler in PSL 2022 to take 5 wickets was Quetta Gladiators’ Naseem Shah. He achieved this feat in Match 4 against Karachi Kings. He took wickets from Tom Lammonby, Mohammad Nabi, Lewis Gregory, Imad Wasim, and Mohammad Ilyas.
Most Runs
Lahore Qalandars’ Fakhar Zaman scored the most runs in PSL 2022. He played 13 matches and scored 588 runs with an average of 45.23, including seven half-centuries and a century. He was followed by Multan Sultans’ Mohammad Rizwan who scored 546 runs in 11 matches (Avg: 68.25). Rizwan scored seven half-centuries. Rizwan’s teammate, Shan Masood, also played eleven matches and scored 478 runs (Avg: 39.83) and scored four half-centuries.
Most Wickets
Shadab Khan of Islamabad United was the tournament’s leading wickets taker. He took 18 wickets in 8 matches (7 innings) while maintaining an economy rate of 6.42. His best figures were 5/28. Multan Sultans’ Khushdil Shah played 11 matches and took 16 wickets with best figures of 4/35. Shah’s teammate, Imran Tahir, also played 11 matches and took 16 wickets with best figures of 3/16.
Close Encounters
Part of the charm of the T20 matches is the fast-paced hitting and unpredictable gameplay. Anything can happen at any moment. It is also the close endings that keeps the audiences at the edge of their seats. Close finishes have become synonymous with the PSL. The 2022 edition had several such close finishes.
Match 7 of the PSL 2022 was thrilling. Multan Sultans scored 174/4 (20 overs) against Quetta Gladiators with Shan Masood (Multan) scoring 88 (58). In reply, Quetta Gladiators needed 8 runs off the last over. With Gladiators’ wickets tumbling, Sultans bowled out the Gladiators on 19.5 to win the match by 6 runs.
Karachi Kings did not have a good run at the PSL 2022. They were on the verge of winning a match against Islamabad United (Match 21) but were denied a victory by just one run. Karachi Kings were chasing Islamabad United’s target of 191 after it elected to field. Kings needed 8 runs off the last over. Imad Wasim scored a boundary off the over’s second ball but was out on the next. Kings’ Chris Jordan was dropped on the last ball but was run-out before he could compete for the run to win for his team.
Match 30, the last match before the playoffs, was the first match of PSL 2022 to be decided in the Super Over. After Peshawar Zalmi won the toss and elected to bat, they scored 158/7 (20). Lahore Qalandars, in reply, also scored 158 (20). Qalandars batted first in the Super Over and scored 5 runs. In reply, Zalmi’s Shaheen Shah Afridi scored consecutive boundaries on the Super Over’s opening two balls to give his team a win.
Biggest Margin Win
In Match 25, Multan Sultans faced Quetta Gladiators – two strong contenders for the title. Multan Sultans scored 245/3 (20 overs). Sultan’s first three batsmen scored blistering knocks to complete their half-centuries. Mohammad Rizwan scored an unbeaten 83 (54), Shan Masood scored 57 (38) and Rilee Rossouw scored 71 (26). Quetta Gladiators were unable to give their innings a solid start as opener Will Smeed lost his wicket after scoring one run. Umar Akmal tried to make some headway but was caught by Shahnawaz Dahani after scoring 50 (23). Gladiators were all out on 128 (5.5 overs), losing the match by 117 runs.
Highest and Lowest Runs
Multan Sultans scored the most runs in a match, when they posted 245 runs against Quetta Gladiators. Islamabad United scored the lowest team runs of 105 against Multan Sultans in the 29th Match of the tournament. United elected to bat first but could not maintain its stride as six of its batsmen lost their wickets in single figures. Only three scored in double figures: Nasir Nawaz 14 (17), Liam Dawson 22 (11), and Muhammad Musa 26 (21).
