Image Credit- PSL
Tuesday’s Pakistan
Super League match saw table-toppers Multan Sultans finish their regular season
with a 79-run victory over Quetta Gladiators, thanks to the combined efforts of
legspinner Usama Mir and fast bowler David Willey, who shared six wickets and
106 runs.
With seven victories, Sultans topped the points standings. On Thursday, they
will play Peshawar Zalmi, who is ranked second with twelve points, in the
qualifier. The winner advances to the final.
With seven
victories, Sultans topped the points standings. On Thursday, they will play
Peshawar Zalmi, who is ranked second with twelve points, in the qualifier. The
winner advances to the final.
For the redesigned Gladiators, who will be participating in their first PSL
playoffs in four years, it served as a wake-up call. On Thursday, they take on
Islamabad United in the Eliminator.
After they were put to bat, the West Indies’ captain Muhammad Rizwan (69) and
skipper Johnson Charles (53), both scored half century, helped the Sultans to
185 for 4.
The Gladiators’ pursuit was ruined in the third over as Willey (3-22) trapped
Jason Roy leg before wicket and ran-out Saud Shakeel (14) to continue Roy’s
recent run of bad fortune.
During the
powerplay, Willey then perfectly yorked back captain Rilee Rossouw’s leg stump,
and Laurie Evans spooned a dolly to midwicket.
The tournament’s best wicket-taker, Mir (3-22), then removed the Gladiators’
highest-scorer, Omair Yousuf (37) and swiftly went through the remaining
wickets to give Sultans an overwhelming victory with almost four overs
remaining.
Earlier, Rizwan hit his fourth half-century of the year, Charles escalated the
pressure in the last overs with a 29-ball knock, and Iftikhar Ahmed completed
the perfect match with a blistering 20 off just eight balls.