Hyderabad Kingsmen have followed the equation perfectly to turn the tables as they barge into the playoffs to join Peshawar Zalmi, Islamabad United, and Multan Sultans.
Perfected the equation, did Kingsmen
They went full throttle from the get-go, posting Rawalpindiz a target of 245 runs, thanks in large part to Usman Khan’s 26-ball 50, Kusal Perera’s 50 off 30, and a 70 off 37 by Glenn Maxwell to cap things off.
For qualification, Hyderabad were required to halt Rawalpindiz’s pursuit at 158 runs or less. Or in other words, they needed to win by 86 runs to clinch the fourth place from Qalandars.
Kingsmen, however, won it by 108 runs for good measure and eliminated Lahore. Following the incredible outings with the bat, Hyderabad’s bowlers delivered miserly lines and lengths to keep things tight for Rawalpindiz. Hunain Shah grabbed four wickets and deservedly sealed the win by dismissing Ben Sears.
Lahore’s season-long misery
Lahore had a messy title-defending campaign as they were all over the place, losing four of their first six games. Despite that, they seemed comfortable in fourth place after becoming the first team this season to defeat Peshawar Zalmi in their last group-stage game. Hyderabad’s equation to qualify was not straightforward either, especially after Islamabad trounced them with eight wickets and 80 balls to spare just 24 hours earlier.
Finishing in fourth place, Hyderabad now have no margin for error as they will face Multan Sultans in the Eliminator. The winner will proceed to play the loser of Qualifier 1.
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