Multan Sultans end Quetta Gladiators’ winning streak in PSL 9

MULTAN (Monitoring Desk): Mohammad Rizwan and Reeza Hendricks’ half-centuries, followed by a combined bowling effort powered Multan Sultans to defeat Quetta Gladiators in the 11th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 9 here at Multan Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

Quetta Gladiators opted to field first but could not get the desired start as Usman Khan smashed 14 runs from the first over of Akeal Hosein.

Abrar Ahmed ended Khan’s brief stay in the third over after the batter scored 14 off seven, which brought Hendricks out to join Rizwan at the crease.

The two experienced batters constructed an anchoring partnership of 79 runs from 62 balls to put the pressure on Quetta Gladiators, pushing the team’s total to 101 inside 14 overs.

Rizwan smashed four sixes and two boundaries on his way to 51 off 42 before he attempted to hit one to Hosein but the ball ballooned up and Saud Shakeel caught it safely at deep mid-wicket.

Hendricks, who was playing steadily until then, switched gears after Rizwan’s dismissal and knitted a quick 77-run partnership for the third wicket with Tayyab Tahir.

Hendricks top-scored for the Sultans with 72 runs from 47 balls with the help of 11 boundaries including four sixes.

Mohammad Amir got the prized scalp of Hendricks with Mohammad Wasim pouching him at deep midwicket in the final over.

Meanwhile, Tahir remained unbeaten with a 22-ball cameo of 32 runs which featured four boundaries and one six.

Amir topped the bowling charts for Quetta Gladiators with the figures of 2-46, while Ahmed and Hosein claimed one wicket each.