Multan Sultans crush Quetta Gladiators, clinch top spot in PSL

KARACHI: Multan Sultans secured a huge victory over Quetta Gladiators by a wide margin of 79 runs in the 30th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) held on Tuesday.

At the National Cricket Stadium in Karachi, fans witnessed an impressive performance from the Sultans, dominating their opponents throughout the game.

Opting to bowl first after winning the toss, the Gladiators’ decision backfired as the Sultans launched a fierce offensive from the start. Mohammad Rizwan led the charge with a brilliant knock of 69 runs off 47 balls. Teammate Johnson Charles likewise contributed a solid 53 runs off 29 balls. Meanwhile, Usman Khan also chipped in with a notable 21 runs off 23 balls.

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Despite Mohammad Amir managing to claim two wickets for the Gladiators, he conceded 40 runs in four overs. The Gladiators’ bowlers struggled to contain the onslaught from the Sultans’ batters. Mohammad Wasim Jr and Abrar Ahmed managed to take a wicket each but leaked runs, with Wasim conceding 31 runs in three overs and Ahmed giving away 39 runs in four overs.

The Sultans posted a formidable total of 185 runs for the loss of four wickets, setting a challenging target of 186 for the Gladiators to chase.

In response, the Gladiators faltered against the aggressive bowling attack of the Sultans. Despite Omair Yousuf’s valiant effort of scoring 37 runs off 25 balls, the rest of the Gladiators’ batting lineup struggled to cope.

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Sultans’ bowlers, led by David Willey and Usama Mir, wreaked havoc, each claiming three wickets while conceding only 22 runs apiece. Abbas Afridi also made significant contributions, taking two wickets for just 14 runs in three overs.

The Gladiators’ batting lineup collapsed swiftly under the pressure, getting bowled out by the fifteenth over while managing a mere 106 runs.

With this victory, the Sultans now lead the PSL points table with fourteen points, followed closely by Peshawar Zalmi with thirteen points in second place. Islamabad United and Quetta Gladiators occupy the third and fourth spots respectively, with eleven points each.

The Sultans also boast the highest Net Run Rate (NRR) at 1.150, whereas the second-placed Zalmi have an NRR of 0.147.

The Sultans will now face off against Peshawar Zalmi in Qualifier 1 round on Thursday