Needing to win by a huge margin of 86 runs in their last league game against the already eliminated Rawalpindiz, Hyderabad Kingsmen rose to the challenge by scripting an emphatic 108-run victory to reach the PSL playoffs on Sunday.
On the back of inspired performances from Glenn Maxwell (70, 37 balls, eight fours, three sixes), Kusal Perera (50 not out, 30 balls, five fours, one six) and young pacer Hunain Shah (4/22), Hyderabad became the fourth team to earn a playoff spot.
Hyderabad remained tied with fifth-placed Lahore Qalandars and sixth-placed Karachi Kings on 10 points, but a superior net run rate helped them edge the two former champions for a place in the last four stage.
It was a Maxwell blitzkrieg which lifted Hyderabad, one of the two debutants this season alongside Rawalpindiz, to an imposing total of 244 for six.
Such a big total looked out of reach for Hyderabad when the maverick Australian walked into bat at 119 for five in the 10th over after Rawalpindiz dismissed Saim Ayub (12), the impressive Usman Khan (54 off 26 balls), and Irfan Khan (0) in the space of 2.2 overs.
But Maxwell found support from Kusal Perera as the two launched a stunning counter-attack in their 108-run sixth-wicket stand off 59 balls.
Maxwell’s run out on the first ball of the last over brought some relief to the Rawalpindiz camp.
But Hassan Khan (16 not out off four balls), who walked in at 227 for six, finished the Hyderabad innings with a flourish, scoring 16 runs off the final three balls of the last over from South African all-rounder Dian Forrester.
Hyderabad, which needed to restrict Rawalpindiz to 158 or lower, then found a bowling hero in Hunain, whose four-wicket haul knocked the stuffing out of the rival team.
Hunain, who earned the man-of-the-match award, was well-supported by Akif Javed (3/38) as Usman Khawaja (66 not out off 43 balls) waged a lone battle for Rawalpindiz who were bundled out for 136 in 17.1 overs.
It was Rawalpindiz’s ninth defeat of a forgettable first campaign in the PSL.
Hyderabad, on the other hand, now have a chance to go for glory when the playoffs begin on Tuesday.
Source: Khaleej Times