Lahore Qalandars’ troubled streak in the ninth season of the PSL appeared destined to continue on Thursday as they found themselves significantly behind halfway through a daunting chase of 215 against Multan Sultans.
Initially, the hosts seemed promising, with Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman launching a barrage of shots to swiftly reach fifty in just five overs.
However, Multan Sultans’ captain, Mohammad Rizwan, seized the moment to unleash his newest weapon, Aftab Ibrahim. Despite conceding a boundary on his first delivery, the PSL debutant responded emphatically two balls later by dismissing the seasoned Fakhar Zaman, sparking excitement among the spectators.
Aftab’s delivery, full and angling into the stumps, tempted Fakhar to play across the line towards the leg-side fielders stationed inside the 30-yard circle. However, Fakhar misjudged the line, and the ball crashed through his defense, sending the stumps flying.
As the sound of timber reverberated across the Gadaffi Stadium, Aftab jubilantly raised his index finger towards the sky before pausing dramatically near the pitch.
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Acknowledging the crowd, Aftab brought his left hand to his ear, rhythmically moving to imaginary beats with his other hand, humorously mimicking a DJ despite the seriousness of the moment.