Multan Sultans beat Quetta Gladiators by six wickets to go top

LAHORE: Multan Sultans defeated Quetta Gladiators by six wickets in the HBL Pakistan Super League at Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday, completing the chase of 167 with 15 balls remaining and moving to the top of the points table with their third win of the season.

Mohammad Nawaz played a central role in the victory with figures of 3-30 in four overs and was named player of the match. Multan’s spin options kept Quetta from building sustained momentum after the Gladiators were sent in to bat first.

Quetta began positively, but Nawaz struck in the second over when Khawaja Nafay, after hitting an early six, was trapped lbw for 12 off seven balls. Shamyl Hussain then fell for two, chipping Ashton Turner to Nawaz at mid-on.

Saud Shakeel and Hasan Nawaz repaired the innings with a 55-run stand for the third wicket. Saud, who was dropped on 13 by wicketkeeper Josh Philippe in the sixth over, went on to anchor the innings, while Hasan added impetus with two boundaries in the fourth over off Nawaz.

Arafat Minhas turned the game again in the 10th over. Hasan was stumped for 20, and Rilee Rossouw, back in the side, was dismissed for a duck after being caught by Shan Masood at deep mid-wicket, leaving Quetta 72-4.

Saud reached his half-century from 35 balls with a lofted cover drive off Faisal Akram in the 14th over, but Nawaz removed him for 56 when he was caught by Steve Smith at long-on. Bevon Jacobs then kept Quetta moving and remained unbeaten on 49 from 31 deliveries, hitting four fours and three sixes.

Ahmed Daniyal added late runs with 22 off nine balls, including two fours and a six, before suffering a right hamstring injury while attempting a third run on the fifth ball of the final over. According to a Pakistan Cricket Board press release issued later, Ahmed was ‘taken to hospital for further scans’. Quetta closed on 166-7 in 20 overs.

In reply, Multan made a rapid start through Sahibzada Farhan and Steve Smith. Farhan struck 32 off 14 balls, with four fours and two sixes, before he was caught off Alzarri Joseph in the sixth over. By the end of the powerplay, Multan had raced to 83-1.

Smith continued to score freely and brought up his fifty off 29 balls with a lap scoop for two. He made 53 from 35 deliveries, including seven fours and a six. His innings ended in the 14th over when Rossouw completed a running catch near the boundary off part-time spinner Hasan, tossing the ball to substitute Saqib Khan as he went over the rope. The third umpire ruled the catch clean.

Josh Philippe made 18 before falling to Saud Shakeel, while Shan Masood, batting higher up the order, guided the chase with an unbeaten 46 off 30 balls, including two fours and two sixes. Arafat Minhas was dismissed lbw by Hasan for six, but with only 30 needed from 36 balls, Multan remained in control.

Turner then stayed with Shan to finish the match without further trouble. Turner was unbeaten on four as Multan reached 167-4 in 17.3 overs.

Quetta’s bowling figures included Hasan Nawaz’s 2-17 in two overs, while Saud took 1-25 in three. For Multan, Arafat returned 2-14 and Turner claimed 1-16, but Nawaz’s spell proved decisive as the Sultans secured a comfortable win.