Daily Times

Today’s matches

Islamabad United vs Peshawar Zalmi in Rawalpindi at 02:00 pm

Lahore Qalandars vs Karachi Kings in Lahore at 07:00 pm

RAWALPINDI: Multan Sultans took the wind out of Quetta Gladiators sails in the 28th fixture of the Pakistan Super League-08 (PSL) at the Pindi Stadium here on Saturday night. Multan’s nine-wicket win eliminated Quetta out of race for the playoffs. With the elimination of Quetta, Peshawar Zalmi have become the fourth team to qualify for the PSL playoffs. Chasing a formidable target of 263, spirited Quetta reached 253 for the loss of 8 wickets in their allotted overs. Omair Yousaf (67), Martin Guptill (37) and Iftikhar Ahmad (53) were the main run getters for the losers. Omair and Iftikhar kept the scoreline respectable but despite the placidity of the surface, the score was like a mountain to climb. Abbas Afridi showed the bowlers could have their say too with a five-fer that included a hat-trick, and though Quetta took it much deeper than it appeared they might, they could not reach home. Afridi claimed five scalps for 47 runs to deny Quetta victory.

During the match, a new history of T20 cricket was made as Multan and Quetta made the highest aggregate score in a T20 match. The two teams together scored 515 runs, setting a new world record. In response to the Multan’s 262-run target, Quetta scored 253 runs, which is the highest ever scored by a team batting second in a T20. The previous highest total score in a single T20 was 501 runs when the Titans scored 271 runs and the Knights scored 230 runs, in South Africa T20 Challenge in October 2022.

Earlier, Multan made 262 for the loss of 3 wickets after Usman Khan scored the fastest ton in the history of the PSL by smashing a century in merely 36 balls. The batsman managed to make 120 runs off 43 balls with 12 fours and nine sixes, with a strike rate of 279.1, before being bowled out by Quetta captain Mohammad Nawaz. The top-order batsman performance was so sensational that even the opponents had to acknowledge his prowess. Usman’s ton is also the second-fastest century by a Pakistan cricketer in T20 cricket. In 2020, Khushdil Shah scored 100 runs in just 35 balls, which included eight fours and nine sixes, in a domestic T20 match. On Friday, in the game against Peshawar, Sultans Rilee Rossouw broke his own record off the fastest PSL century by hitting a ton in 41 balls. In 2020, Rossouw had scored a century in 43 balls, hitting his first 50 in 17 balls and his second 50 in 24 balls.

Brief scores: Multan Sultans 262 for 3 (Usman Khan 120, Mohammad Rizwan 55, Qais Ahmad 2-77) beat Quetta Gladiators 253 for 8 (Omair Yousuf 67, Iftikhar Ahmad 53, Abbas Afridi 5-47) by 9 runs.