MULTAN: Mohammad Rizwan and Reeza Hendricks’ half-centuries, followed by a combined bowling effort powered Multan Sultans to defeat Quetta Gladiators in the 11th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 9 here at Multan Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
With this 13-run victory, Multan Sultans solidified their position at the top of the points table while handing Quetta Gladiators their first loss in PSL 9.
While chasing a mammoth 181, Quetta Gladiators had a slow start and lost Jason Roy in the third over with a mere 16 runs on the board.
Saud Shakeel played an entertaining 24-run knock from 13 balls, which featured four boundaries and one six before David Willey sent him back to the pavilion.
Skipper Rilee Rossouw joined Khawaja Nafay on the crease and powered Quetta Gladiators to make a comeback with a 62-run stand in just 38 balls.
Rossouw played a quick knock of 30 runs from 18 balls which included two sixes and a boundary but fell to Aftab Ibrahim as Khushdil Shah pouches a low catch.
This proved to be the turning point as Multan Sultans’ bowlers picked timely wickets to deny Quetta Gladiators’ comeback.
Nafay played a 36-run knock from 31 balls with the help of two boundaries and as many sixes before perishing in the 15th over with 124 runs on the board.
Sherfane Rutherford smashed two sixes during his cameo of 21 runs from 14 balls, while Akeal Hosein remained unbeaten with 9 off 13.
With 23 needed off the final over, Quetta Gladiators managed only nine runs, finishing with 167-9 as Abrar Ahmed (12) got out on the final ball.
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Mohammad Ali and Willey claimed bowling figures of 3-19 and 3-37 respectively for Multan Sultans while Aftab Ibrahim managed two scalps.
Quetta Gladiators opted to field first but could not get the desired start as Usman Khan smashed 14 runs from the first over of Akeal Hosein.
Abrar Ahmed ended Khan’s brief stay in the third over after the batter scored 14 off seven, which brought Hendricks out to join Rizwan at the crease.
The two experienced batters constructed an anchoring partnership of 79 runs from 62 balls to put the pressure on Quetta Gladiators, pushing the team’s total to 101 inside 14 overs.
Rizwan smashed four sixes and two boundaries on his way to 51 off 42 before he attempted to hit one to Hosein but the ball ballooned up and Saud Shakeel caught it safely at deep mid-wicket.
Hendricks, who was playing steadily until then, switched gears after Rizwan’s dismissal and knitted a quick 77-run partnership for the third wicket with Tayyab Tahir.
Hendricks top-scored for the Sultans with 72 runs from 47 balls with the help of 11 boundaries including four sixes.
Mohammad Amir got the prized scalp of Hendricks with Mohammad Wasim pouching him at deep midwicket in the final over.
Meanwhile, Tahir remained unbeaten with a 22-ball cameo of 32 runs which featured four boundaries and one six.
Amir topped the bowling charts for Quetta Gladiators with the figures of 2-46, while Ahmed and Hosein claimed one wicket each.