Gladiators crash out of PSL after losing to Sultans

ISLAMABAD: Quetta Gladiators’ dream of winning a second Pakistan Super League (PSL) title ended on Wednesday night after a defeat against the Multan Sultans crashed them out of the sixth season in match-25 at Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium

Imran Khan Snr gave his team a good start as he took the important wickets of Jake Weatherald (19) and Cameron Delport (0) in the fourth over. In the sixth over, a mix up between Sarfaraz Ahmed and Usman Khan put Quetta three down.

An over later, Zimbabwe’s Blessing Muzarabani removed Azam Khan to push Quetta further down. Quetta thought they had hope till their captain was standing at the crease but Sarfaraz was sent back to the pavilion in the ninth over when he was caught by Imran Tahir in Sohail Tanvir’s over.

Tahir was then asked to bowl the 10th over of the match. The South African did deliver for his team as he bowled a triple wicket maiden to end Quetta’s dream of winning their second PSL title. Tahir, in his over, dismissed Mohammad Nawaz, Hassan Khan and Khurram Shahzad. And in the 12th, he took the wicket of Usman Shinwari to put Quetta nine down. In the next over Shahnawaz Dhani took the final wicket of Quetta to dismiss the Gladiators for 73.

The 73 runs made by Quetta was the second-lowest total in PSL. Sultans won the match by 110 runs.

Earlier, Multan Sultans had set a 184-run target for Quetta Gladiators. The Gladiators were able to get a much-needed breakthrough when Khurram Shahzad dismissed Sultans’ skipper Mohammad Rizwan for 21 runs in the 9th over, while Zahir Khan got the second wicket of Sohaib Maqsood for five runs in the 10th over.

Hassan Khan was able to get the key wicket of Shan Masood (73) in the 14th over, while Rilee Rossouw (2) was sent back to the pavilion by Mohammad Nawaz. However, despite the setbacks, Sultans kept the scoreboard ticking, with some good shots from Johnson Charles (47) till Shahzad dismissed him in the 18th over.