Ashton Turner Scores Unbeaten Fifty, Yet Multan Sultans Fail to Chase 186-Run Target
Lahore Qalandars secured a 20-run win against Multan Sultans at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Friday, thanks to Mohammad Naeem’s fifty and tight bowling in a rain-shortened 13-over clash of PSL 11.
Chasing a challenging 186-run target, the 2021 champions managed 165/5, despite a fiery innings from Shan Masood and an unbeaten half-century from captain Ashton Turner.
The Sultans stumbled early in their chase, losing Steve Smith for 9 and Josh Philippe for 1 within the 3.5-over powerplay, managing only 18 runs on the board.
After the early setbacks, Shan Masood and in-form Sahibzada Farhan (24) steadied the innings with a cautious 32-run partnership for the third wicket, which ended when Farhan was dismissed by Mustafizur Rahman in the sixth over.
Masood carried on with a counter-attacking innings but fell to Rahman on the third ball of the 10th over, finishing with 44 off 18 balls, including seven fours and a six.
Following Masood’s departure, captain Ashton Turner and emerging all-rounder Arafat Minhas (25) put together a fighting 57-run stand for the fifth wicket until Minhas was dismissed by Sikandar Raza on the fourth ball of the final over.
Turner remained unbeaten, top-scoring with 52 off 22 balls, hitting five sixes and two fours, but his valiant effort wasn’t enough as the Sultans fell short, handing them their first defeat of PSL 11.
Mustafizur Rahman was the star bowler for Lahore Qalandars, claiming two wickets for 37 runs in his three overs, while Ubaid Shah, Sikandar Raza, and captain Shaheen Shah Afridi contributed with one wicket each.
Mohammad Naeem earned the Player of the Match award for his explosive 60 off 28 balls.
The rain-hit encounter, shortened to 13 overs per side, saw Multan Sultans captain Ashton Turner win the toss and opt to field first—a decision that backfired as the Qalandars piled up a massive 185/5 thanks to their top order.
The hosts began their innings in blazing fashion, with debutant opener Parvez Hossain Emon and Naeem combining for an 86-run opening stand in just five overs.
Debutant pacer Muhammad Ismail, despite conceding 26 runs in his first over, provided a timely breakthrough by dismissing Emon with the first ball of the sixth over.
Bangladesh international Parvez Hossain Emon departed after a blistering 45 off just 19 balls, featuring five sixes and two fours.
His wicket did little to halt Lahore Qalandars’ momentum, as Abdullah Shafique and Mohammad Naeem quickly added a 58-run partnership before falling in consecutive overs to Muhammad Ismail and Faisal Akram.
Naeem finished as the top scorer for the Qalandars with 60 off 28 balls, hitting four sixes and four fours, while Shafique contributed a rapid 33 off 14 balls, including two sixes and three fours.
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