Multan Sultans successfully chase 183-run target, losing three wickets with 22 balls remaining
Sahibzada Farhan and Josh Philippe both scored half-centuries as the Multan Sultans defeated Rawalpindiz by seven wickets in the 14th match of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at Gaddafi Stadium on Monday.
Chasing a target of 183, the Sultans comfortably reached the winning total, losing only three wickets and finishing with 22 balls to spare.
The chase began shakily for the Sultans, as Mohammad Amir dismissed their in-form opener Steve Smith for just five runs in the second over, leaving the team at 12 for one.
However, the early setback did little to rattle Multan. Sahibzada Farhan and Josh Philippe turned the game around with a scintillating 110-run partnership for the second wicket, both reaching their half-centuries in the process.
The Sultans’ formidable second-wicket stand was finally broken in the 12th over when Mohammad Amir deceived Josh Philippe with a slower delivery. Philippe remained a key contributor with a quickfire 56 off 30 balls, including six fours and three sixes.
Sahibzada Farhan followed 11 balls later, bowled by Amir Khan after top-scoring for the Sultans with 68 off 36 deliveries, featuring five sixes and four fours.
After the fall of the set batters, skipper Ashton Turner and deputy Shan Masood batted sensibly at the end, guiding the Sultans to victory on the second ball of the 17th over with an unbeaten 47-run partnership. Masood remained not out on 27 off 15 balls, while Turner finished 26 not out from 10 deliveries.
For Pindiz, Mohammad Amir was the standout bowler with figures of 2/32 in three overs, and Mohammad Amir Khan picked up one wicket.
Earlier, put into bat, Pindiz posted 182/8 in 20 overs despite a four-wicket haul from Faisal Akram. Their innings began shakily as opener Yasir Khan was dismissed for five by Muhammad Ismail in the third over, leaving the team at 15 for one.
Captain Mohammad Rizwan added 19 before being dismissed off Arafat Minhas in the sixth over, having shared a 33-run partnership with Kamran Ghulam. Ghulam went on to score 35 off 24 balls, including three fours and two sixes, before being dismissed by Akram in the 10th over.
Sam Billings then played a crucial innings of 56 not out off 34 balls, including seven fours and a six, forming a 33-run partnership for the sixth wicket with Dian Forrester, who struck 24 off 11 balls with three sixes.
Akram led the Sultans’ bowling attack with 4/31 in four overs, supported by Minhas (2 wickets), while Peter Siddle and Ismail took one wicket each.
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