PSL 10: Quetta Gladiators edge Multan Sultans to top table

RAWALPINDI: Quetta Gladiators beat Multan Sultans in a last-ball thriller of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10 powered by sensational fifties from Khawaja Nafay and Hasan Nawaz at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

Chasing 186, Quetta Gladiators chased down on the very last delivery of the match.

With Quetta requiring 11 runs off the last over, Hasan, who bludgeoned six sixes and two fours in the outing, only managed two runs off the first three balls against Mohammad Hasnain before launching him for six straight down the ground on the fourth ball.

The penultimate ball saw Abrar Ahmed run out at non-striker’s end while coming for the second run leaving Gladiators requiring two of the last ball, which was dismissed for another six over long on as Hasan finished with a 38-ball 67 not out.

In a chase, Khawja Nafay, in only his second match of the season, set the tone with 12 runs off Dilshan Madushanka’s third over. On the other hand, Saud Shakeel played second fiddle, rotating the strike to keep the scoreboard ticking.

Quetta Gladiators were steady in the chase at this stage, with 78-1 at the end of the eighth over. However, things started turning for Multan Sultans as they struck on regular intervals.

Saud Shakeel was dismissed in the ninth after scoring 18 off 24 balls. Multan Sultans returned strongly with another wicket in the 10th as Shahid Aziz dismissed Avishka Fernando.

However, Sri Lanka’s Dinesh Chandimal arrived at the crease and smoked 17 runs off Mohammad Hasnain’s 11th over, bringing the score to 107-3. The Gladiators were once again looking steady in the chase amid a brief 29-run partnership between Chandimal and Hasan Nawaz.

Chandimal was removed after scoring 17 off 10 balls with the help of two fours and a six. Soon after, Danish Aziz followed him with a five-ball duck as Multan Sultans sensed a victory as the scorecard read 123-5 in 13.5 overs.

Despite wickets tumbling around, Hasan Nawaz forged brief partnerships with the lower order, eventually taking Quetta Gladiators to 161-7 in 17.3 overs. Faheem Ashraf scored 16 runs, while Mohammad Wasim managed only one before getting out in the same over.

Earlier, Multan Sultans opted to bat first, posting 185/7 in their 20 overs to set a target of 186 runs for Quetta Gladiators.

Opener Yasir Khan led the batting for Multan with a solid 45 runs after losing captain Muhammad Rizwan. Tayyab Tahir contributed with 36 while Shahid Aziz and Jahanzeb Sultan chipped in with 29 and 25 runs resistively to bolster the total.

Quetta Gladitor’s Usman Tariq was the pick of the bowlers, claiming three wickets for 32 runs. Khurram Shahzad, Faheem Ashraf, Wasim Junior, and Abrar Ahmed also took a wicket each.

PLAYING XIs

Multan Sultans: Yasir Khan, Mohammad Rizwan (c), Jahanzaib Sultan, Tayyab Tahir, Humayon Altaf, Muhammad Amir Barki, Shahid Aziz, Peter Hatzoglou, Dilshan Madhushanka, Mohammad Hasnain, Ubaid Shah.

Quetta Gladiators: Saud Shakeel, Avishka Fernando, Dinesh Chandimal, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Nawaz, Khawaja Nafay, Danish Aziz, Mohammad Wasim, Khurram Shahzad, Abrar Ahmed, Usman Tariq.

The eagerly awaited season 10 of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) kicked off on Friday, 11 April, filling cricket fans with excitement.

It is worth noting here that PSL 10 was suspended for nine days due to rising tensions between Pakistan and India.

After both countries agreed on the ceasefire, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced the resumption of the tournament from May 17.

As per the revised schedule, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium will host a double-header on May 18, with Multan Sultans taking on Quetta Gladiators in the afternoon, while Peshawar Zalmi and Lahore Qalandars will face off in the evening encounter.

Defending champions Islamabad United and Karachi Kings will lock horns on May 19 in the last group match of the PSL 10.

The tournament will then move to Lahore, where the first Qualifier is scheduled on May 21.

Gaddafi Stadium will host the Eliminator 1 and Qualifier 2 on May 22 and May 23, respectively.

The final of the showpiece event is scheduled on May 25 at the same venue.