KARACHI: Skipper Mohammad Rizwan and Johnson Charles showcased scintillating batting performances as Multan Sultans set a challenging target of 186 runs for Quetta Gladiators in a high-octane encounter of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season nine at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi on Tuesday.
Put to bat first by Quetta Gladiators after winning the toss, Multan Sultans got off to a shaky start, losing opener Yasir Khan early in the innings. However, a resilient partnership between Usman Khan and Mohammad Rizwan steadied the ship, laying the foundation for a formidable total.
Usman Khan’s departure was followed by a sensational partnership between Rizwan and Johnson Charles, who exhibited remarkable strokeplay to put Multan Sultans in the driver’s seat. Their partnership of 65 runs propelled the team towards a commanding position.
Rizwan’s splendid knock of 69 runs off 47 deliveries, supported by Charles’s explosive 53 off 29 balls, formed the backbone of Multan Sultans’ innings. The duo’s aggressive batting, complemented by valuable contributions from Iftikhar Ahmed, propelled Multan Sultans to a competitive total of 185/4 in their allotted 20 overs.
Despite Mohammad Amir’s two crucial wickets, Multan Sultans managed to maintain a strong scoring rate throughout their innings. Abrar Ahmed, Akeal Hosein, and Mohammad Wasim Jr. also chipped in with vital breakthroughs for Quetta Gladiators.
With the victory against Karachi Kings last night, Peshawar Zalmi soared to the top of the points table, relegating Multan Sultans to the second position. However, Multan Sultans have the opportunity to reclaim the top spot by defeating Quetta Gladiators in the ongoing match.
A win for Multan Sultans would propel them back to the summit, while a victory for Quetta Gladiators would see them climb to the second spot, pushing Multan Sultans to third place.
Quetta Gladiators Playing XI
Jason Roy, Saud Shakeel, Khawaja Nafay, Rilee Rossouw (c), Omair Bin Yousuf, Laurie Evans (wk), Akeal Hosein, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Mohammad Amir, Abrar Ahmed, Usman Tariq
Multan Sultans Playing XI
Mohammad Rizwan (c & wk), Yasir Khan, Tayyab Tahir, Usman Khan, Johnson Charles, Iftikhar Ahmed, Chris Jordan, David Willey, Usama Mir, Abbas Afridi, Muhammad Ali
