LAHORE: Multan Sultans continued their impressive run in Pakistan Super League 11 by defeating Quetta Gladiators by six wickets at the Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday.
The Lahore fixture saw Multan dominate both with the ball and bat, highlighting their growing momentum in the tournament. The win marked their third win of the season and propelled them to the top position in the points standings.
After winning the toss, Multan elected to field first, a decision that paid off immediately as Quetta’s opening batsmen failed to provide a solid start.
At the end of the powerplay, Quetta’s score was 47 for 2, with Multan’s spinners maintaining tight control and building constant pressure.
Skipper Saud Shakeel then led the innings with a 41-ball 56. After getting an early lifeline due to a dropped catch, he took full advantage and put on a crucial 55-run partnership with Hasan Nawaz.
In the later stages, Bhanu Jacobs played a solid innings, remaining unbeaten on 49 to guide Quetta to a competitive total of 166 for 7.
For Multan, Mohammad Nawaz took three wickets while Arafat Minhas took two crucial wickets.
In reply, Multan chased with determination and discipline. Steven Smith’s attacking 53 laid the foundation, while Shan Masood’s unbeaten 46 ensured that there were no late stumbles.
The target was comfortably achieved in the 18th over, highlighting Multan’s superior control throughout the contest.
From an editorial perspective, this victory strengthens Multan Sultans’ credentials as genuine title contenders, while Quetta Gladiators will need to re-evaluate their opening strategy and death over execution.
| Pos | Team | M | W | L | Pts | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Multan | 5 | 3 | 2 | 6 | +0.45 |
| 2 | Quetta | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | -0.12 |
| 3 | Islamabad | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | +0.05 |
| 4 | Peshawar | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | -0.31 |
