Multan: Fast bowler Mohammad Ali picked up three wickets for 19 runs as Multan Sultans ended Quetta Gladiators’ winning streak in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) on Sunday.
It was a game of ebbs and flows before Sultans’ bowlers found their mojo and clawed their way back into the game to win it by 13 runs at the Multan Cricket Stadium.
Gladiators, having set up the foundation of the chase of 181, lost the plot in the second half of their innings. Khawaja Nafay was the top-scorer for Quetta, having scored 36 off 31.
Gladiators’ captain Rilee Rossouw scored a brisk 30 off 18, smashing one 4 and two 6s before losing his wicket to Aftab Ibrahim at short cover while attempting to drive him.
Quetta never got off to a smooth start, with Jason Roy losing his wicket to Mohammad Ali shortly after smashing him for a six over the midwicket in the third innings of the chase.
He had already been struggling against Ali and survived close LBW calls. Saud Shakeel was looking dangerous before the English bowler David Willey sent him back to the pavilion for just 24 off 13.
With Nafay and Rossouw, Quetta dug deep and got a partnership going before Ibrahim sent Rossouw back to the dugout.
Rossouw’s wicket turned out to be the turning point in the game, with Quetta losing the plot completely by the time the 17th over was bowled. And despite some fireworks by Sherfane Rutherford, Willey’s double-wicket 17th over dealt a killer blow to Quetta.
Earlier in the day, having been put into bat first, Multan brought in explosive opening batter Usman Khan, who immediately made his mark, smashing three 4s and scoring a quick-fire 14 off 7 before he got stumped off Abrar Ahmed.
The Multan captain Mohammad Rizwan scored yet another half-century and put on a 79-run partnership with South African Reeza Hendricks before the West Indian Akeal Hosein got rid of Rizwan at the start of the 14th over.
Tayyab Tahir joined Hendricks on the crease and both of them played some stunning shots before Hendricks got dismissed in the last over of the innings.
By then, the damage had already been done and Multan had gotten enough runs on the board to register a comfortable win over Quetta.
Hendricks remained the top-scorer of the game and for Multan, scoring 72 off 47, hitting seven 4s, and four 6s. Rizwan scored 51 off 42, hitting two 4s and four 6s.
Meanwhile, Tahir scored 35 off 22, hitting four 4s and one 6.
Quetta’s regular wicketkeeper batter Sarfaraz Ahmed had to be subbed after injuring his head. He was replaced by a concussion sub — Sajjad Ali who could only manage 2 off 2.
Sultans’ fast bowler Ali was named the player of the match for picking up three wickets for 19 runs in four overs.
