Clinical Multan thrash listless Quetta in record PSL win

Shan Masood’s superb 42-ball 73 followed by a disciplined bowling performance helpled Multan Sultans inflict a heavy 110-run defeat on Quetta Gladiators in the 25th fixture of the Pakistan Super League 6 at Sheikh Zayed Stadium.

This defeat confirmed an end to Gladiators’ race for a playoff berth.

The left-handed opener smashed seven fours and four sixes and dominated the Gladiators bowlers after their captain Sarfaraz Ahmed decided to bowl.

Shan scripted a handsome 72-run opening stand with his captain Mohammad Rizwan, who made 23-ball 21, and later knitted 37 runs with Johnson Charles, who hammered 47 runs at almost two runs-a-ball.

The West Indies international struck five fours and two sixes in his 24-ball innings before he became pacer Khurram Shahzad’s second wicket.

Khurram delivered the first blow in the ninth over when Rizwan played on the right-armer. Sohaib Maqsood, who came into the match in prime form, could not spend much time at the crease as he was bowled by Zahir Khan in the next over, but the middle-order batsman took a fantastic diving catch at deep point to seal the win for his team.

Gladiators – rolled out for a paltry 73 in 12.1 overs – stuttered in the run chase from the word go and they lost three batsmen in the first six overs. Imran Khan Snr’s double-strikes in the fourth over sent dangerous looking Jake Weatherald and Cameron Delport back to the pavilion. Opener Usman Khan had a mix-up with his captain in the last powerplay over and he was run out at the non-striker’s end.

Azam Khan was caught behind in the eighth over and Sarfaraz walked back on the penultimate ball of the ninth to leave Gladiators reeling at 59 for five.

Imran Tahir then skittled the tail and finished with three for seven from two overs – one of which was maiden.

Every Sultans’ bowler chipped in with Blessing Muzarabani, Sohail Tanvir and Shahnawaz Dahani, fresh from a four-fer, taking one wicket each.

Scores in brief:

Match 25 – Multan Sultans beat Quetta Gladiators by 110 runs

Multan Sultans 183-5, 20 overs (Shan Masood 73, Johnson Charles 47, Mohammad Rizwan 21, Khushdil Shah 20 not out; Khurram Shahzad 2-26)

Quetta Gladiators 73 all out, 12.1 overs (Jake Weatherald 19; Imran Tahir 3-7, Imran Khan 2-13)

Player of the match – Shan Masood (Multan Sultans)

Upcoming matches:

Thursday, 17 June – Islamabad United v Peshawar Zalmi; Lahore Qalandars v Karachi Kings

Friday, 18 June – Lahore Qalandars v Multan Sultans