How Sangakkara defied age to emerge match winner

Kumar Sangakkara, through a spectacular match winning performance showed that he is as good as he was during his playing days in international cricket.Though it is close to three years since he retired from international cricket, the 40-year-old left-handed batsman, with brilliant strokes and even reflexes stunned everyone and emerged as the match winners for debutants Multan Sultans.Sangakkara cracked 57 runs off 51 balls with two sixes and three boundaries to bag the man of the match award. When asked about the ease with which he played the pace and spin, he said: “I have changed my stance and my initial movement in order to give myself that extra time.”It is not just the agility to be at the right position to play the strokes, be it the pull, hook and drive that surprised everyone but his reflexes in keeping the wickets too. He looked as fit as any current international wicketkeeper.

Kumar Sangakkara anchored the innings beautifully with a half-century

After winning the toss and electing to bowl first, the Sultans got rid of Zalmi openers Tamim Iqbal and Kamran Akmal in just the 3rd over of the innings. A well constructed half century from Mohammed Hafeez steered Zalmi to 151 for 6 in the given 20 overs. West Indians Dwayne Smith and Darren Sammy contributed with twenties each. Irfan emerged as the pick of the bowlers for the Sultans, bagging a couple for 19 in 4 overs. In response, the Sultans lost Ahmed Shehzad early but Kumar Sangakkara got them off to a match winning start. Sangakkara made 57 in 51 deliveries with 3 fours and 2 sixes under his name. 

Malik, Sangakkara star as Multan win PSL 3 opener

Malik, Multan Sultans captain: I try to take the match deep. If you are under pressure, so is the opposition. You get an idea of the wicket, then you can start accelerating. Irfan is a bowler whose height can give him an advantage on any pitch. Peshawar batsmen batted well. 150 wasn't easy to chase. But we all know Sangakkara is a wonderful player. He was crucial today.

Sangakkara fashion Multan win on PSL debut

Kumar Sangakkara, MoM: I think there was a bit in the wicket initially. I have changed my stance and my initial movement in order to give myself that extra time. I am not the greatest of fielders, hence it's nice to be behind the stumps. I think Shoaib (Malik) was just outstanding today and he did the job for us. You need a good mixture of young talent and experience and we've got that. Hopefully we'll get better as the tournament progresses. Moody and I have a close relationship since 2005 when he took over SL. It's big for the owners, franchise and players to win our first game. Lot of luck needed in T20. We'll take one game at a time. T20 is a format where you express yourself. Still enjoying it. It's a great format to play in.

Hafeez's gutsy fifty was in vain

Seasoned campaigners Shoaib Malik and Kumar Sangakkara guided newcomers Multan Sultans to a comfortable seven-wicket win in the Pakistan Super League 2018 opener over Peshawar Zalmi in Dubai on Thursday (February 22). Chasing a tricky 152 for victory, Sangakkara and Malik had to rebuild after Ahmed Shehzad and Sohaib Maqsood fell in the first half of the run chase.While Shehzad was dismissed for a duck when he top-edged one to be caught at fine leg, Maqsood was caught at long on for a 16-ball 21, in which he took on Hammad Azam for a couple of fours and a six in one over. At the halfway stage, Sultans were 68 for 2, needing another 84 from the remaining ten overs. Sangakkara and Malik bided their time and focussed on rotating the strike before taking on Ibtisam Sheikh. While Malik launched one over the sightscreen, Sangakkara hit one past the bowler for a four that took him to 49.

Brief scores: Peshawar Zalmi 151/6 in 20 overs (Mohammad Hafeez 59, Darren Sammy 29; Mohammad Irfan 2-19, Hardus Viljoen 1-24) lost to Multan Sultans 152/3 in 19.1 overs (Kumar Sangakkara 57, Shoaib Malik 42*; Wahab Riaz 2-19, Mohammad Asghar 1-18) by 7 wickets.