Lahore Qalandars beat Islamabad United by six runs to reach the final of Pakistan Super League 2021/22. Chasing 169, the United were bowled out for 162.
With 17 needed in 12 balls and Asif Ali (25) at the crease, the United had an upper hand in the contest. Asif struck a six on the second ball, from Haris Rauf, to reduce the equation to 10 in 10 balls. But Rauf dismissed Asif, and conceded only two more runs, leaving the United to score eight off the last over.
Mohammad Wasim Jr was run out off the third ball, and David Wiese got Waqas Maqsood with the fourth, to wrap the match. Wiese had also played a breezy cameo to propel the Qalandars to a competitive total.
Alex Hales and Azam Khan added 79 for the fifth wicket after the United lost four wickets for just 46. Hales scored 38 in 29 balls, and Azam 40 in 28.
Earlier, the Qalandars had lost both openers inside three overs. Fakhar Zaman's cut off a short, wide ball from Liam Dawson found Waqas Maqsood at short third. In the next over, Dawson bowled Phil Salt to reduce the Qalandars to 7/2.
Abdullah Shafique and Kamran Ghulam then added 73 in the next seven overs. The first boundary of the innings came in the fifth over, when Shafique smashed a six over long-on. In the next over, Shafique pulled Athar Mahmood for his second six.
Ghulam, too, broke free with a couple of fours before being dismissed by Shadab Khan. Shafique reached his fifty in the 12th over but got out in the next over on 52.
When Samit Patel (21 off 18) got out, the Qalandars were 139/7 in 18.5 overs. Wiese struck three sixes and a four in the last over off Maqsood to propel his team to 168/7.
Lahore Qalandars 168/7 in 20 overs (Shafique 52; Dawson 2-24) beat Islamabad United 162 in 19.4 overs (Azam 40; Rauf 2-31) by 6 runs. Player of the Match: David Wiese