Brathwaite unable to halt Qalanders losing streak
Former West Indies Twenty20 skipper Carlos Brathwaite could do little as his Lahore Qalanders slumped to a heavy 60-run defeat to Multan Sultans in the Pakistan Super League here yesterday.
The 35-year-old, who played 41 T20 Internationals, managed a single wicket as Sultans piled up 214 for four from their 20 overs at Gaddafi Stadium.
Brathwaite then finished on 14 not out, unable to rally a run chase which petered out at 154 all out off 17 overs, leg-spinner Usama Mir slicing through the innings with a six-wicket haul.
The defeat for Qalanders was their sixth in as many games, leaving them rooted to the bottom of the standings, while Sultans stretched their lead at the top on 10 points.
Choosing to bat first, Sultans were propelled by Usman Khan’s 96 off 55 balls, while Iftikhar Ahmed (40 not out) and Reeza Hendricks (40) chipped in.
Usman, who struck 11 fours and two sixes, put on 70 for the second wicket with Hendricks after Mohammad Rizman fell to the fifth ball of the game without scoring, before adding a further 77 for the third wicket with Tayyab Tahir (21), and 60 for the fourth with Iftikhar.
In reply, Qalanders found themselves in a good place at 89 for two at one stage before the innings declined, losing their last eight wickets for 65 runs.
Sahibzada Farhan top-scored with 31 in a 54-run opening stand with Fakhar Zaman (23), before South African Rassie van der Dussen (30) and Kamran Ghulam (12) put on 33 for the third wicket.
Once they were separated, however, Usama dismantled the run chase with a haul of six for 40.