Khurram Shahzad shines as Quetta Gladiators blow Multan Sultans away

Staff Report

LAHORE: Quetta Gladiators’ Khurram Shahzad ran through the Multan Sultans batting line-up as they bagged their third consecutive win here at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore on Tuesday night. Gladiators now sit on the second spot on the points table with four wins in six games. Khurram, who bagged four wickets for 23 runs in his four overs, joined forces with fellow pacers Mohammad Wasim Jnr (2-18) and Faheem Ashraf (2-21) to hand Multan Sultans their lowest total in HBL PSL history as they folded for a mere 89 in 17 overs. Sultans lost wickets at regular intervals as Khurram eked out the first four wickets in the initial 11 balls of his spell with just 20 runs on the board. Faheem removed Iftikhar Ahmed and Michael Bracewell in his back-to-back overs as Sultans slipped to 43-6 in 9.2 overs. Skipper Mohammad Rizwan remained unbeaten for a run-a-ball 44 with the help of three fours and one six as no other batter entered double figures for Sultans except Usama Mir (11, 6b, 1×4, 1×6). Wasim Jnr accounted for David Willey and Ubaid Shah giving away 18 runs in his four overs.

In turn, Finn Allen and Saud Shakeel took just 41 balls to vault the 90-run target as the duo hit nine sixes and five fours among them. Allen finished with a 21-ball 45 not out, while Saud hit a 20-ball 42 not out inclusive of three fours and four sixes. Multan Sultans have lost six out of their seven games and will face Karachi Kings in their next game on 1 May at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.

Brief scores:

Match 18: Quetta Gladiators beat Multan Sultans by 10 wickets at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

Multan Sultans 89 all out, 17 overs (Mohammad Rizwan 44 not out; Khurram Shahzad 4-23, Mohammad Wasim Jnr 2-18, Faheem Ashraf 2-21) vs Quetta Gladiators 90-0, 6.5 overs (Finn Allen 45 not out, Saud Shakeel 42 not out)

Player of the match – Khurram Shahzad (Quetta Gladiators).