Steven Smith struck a fifty as Multan Sultans clinched a six-wicket victory over Quetta Gladiators in the 13th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday.
Set to chase a modest 167-run target, the 2021 champions comfortably knocked the winning runs for the loss of four wickets and 15 balls to spare.
The Sultans got off to a high-flying start to the run chase as their opening pair of Sahibzada Farhan and Smith raised 71 runs in just five overs before Alzarri Joseph dismissed the former on the first delivery of the subsequent over.
Farhan made a handy contribution with a brisk 32 off just 14 deliveries, comprising four fours and two sixes.
The Sultans suffered another setback an over later as Josh Philippe fell victim to Saud Shakeel after scoring a 15-ball 18. With the scoreboard reading 96/2 in eight overs, Shan Masood joined Smith in the middle, and the duo knitted a quick 40-run stand to put the Sultans within touching distance before the latter was eventually dismissed by Hasan Nawaz in the 14th over.
Smith remained the top-scorer for Sultans with a swashbuckling 53 off 35 deliveries, studded with seven fours and a six.
Nawaz struck again in his next over, trapping Arafat Minhas (six) lbw to further reduce Sultans to 148/4.
But Masood remained firm and steered the Sultans over the line in the 18th over with an unbeaten 46 off 30 deliveries with the help of two sixes and as many fours.
Hasan was the pick of the bowlers for the Gladiators, taking two wickets for 17 runs in his two overs, while Alzarri Joseph and captain Saud Shakeel could make one scalp apiece.
Sultans captain Ashton Turner’s decision to field first paid dividends as the 2019 champions could accumulate 166/7 in their 20 overs despite an anchoring half-century by captain Saud Shakeel.
The Gladiators got off to a shaky start to their innings as they lost both their openers, Khawaja Nafay (12) and Shamyl Hussain (two), inside three overs with just 15 runs on the board.
Following the early stutter, Hasan Nawaz (20) joined captain Saud in the middle, and the duo attempted to launch a recovery by putting together an anchoring 55-run partnership for the third wicket, which culminated with the former’s dismissal off Arafat Minhas in the 10th over.
Minhas struck again in the 10th over, dismissing Rilee Rossouw (one) and further reducing the 2019 champions to 72/4 just one delivery before the halfway mark.
Meanwhile, Saud stood his ground firm and knitted another crucial partnership for the Gladiators – a 47-run stand for the fifth wicket with Jacobs – until eventually falling victim to Nawaz on the first delivery of the 17th over.
The skipper remained the top-scorer for the Gladiators with a valiant 56 off 41 deliveries, comprising six fours and a six.
Nawaz inflicted a further blow on the Gladiators’ batting charge in the pulsating 17th over by dismissing Tom Curran, who could muster one off three deliveries. Jacobs, on the other hand, batted until the end but fell agonisingly short of a well-deserved half-century as he made an unbeaten 49 off 31 deliveries, laced with four fours and three sixes. Nawaz spearheaded the Sultans’ bowling charge with three wickets for 30 runs in his four overs, followed by Minhas with two, while captain Turner chipped in with one scalp.