Multan Sultans beat Karachi Kings by 20 runs at the National Bank Cricket Arena to qualify for the playoffs of Pakistan Super League (PSL) season nine. Usman Khan’s undefeated 109* helped Mohammad Rizwan’s team score 189/3 and restrict the home team to 169/7. In 20 overs, the Kings scored 169 for seven wickets while chasing 190.
After losing two wickets—Tim Seifert (1) and James Vince (7)—in the batting powerplay, the home team had only 28 runs. After the loss, Shan Masood and Shoaib Malik momentarily led the run chase. Kings’ resurgence was halted when Usama Mir removed Masood in the 10th over after the duo added 53 runs for the third wicket. Including five boundaries, Masood struck 36 off 29 deliveries to stabilise.
PSL 9: Multan Sultans defeat Karachi Kings to reach playoffs
Malik and Leus du Plooy (12) briefly partnered before falling in successive overs, reducing the Kings to 99/5 in 13 overs. In 28 balls, veteran all-rounder Malik struck 38 for the Kings, including five boundaries. The Kings lost another wicket in the 17th over when Muhammad Irfan Khan returned after scoring 23 off 19 balls. The penultimate delivery terminated Hasan Ali and Mohammad Nawaz’s 41-run partnership, which provided vital resistance in the dying overs.
The Kings failed to win their third PSL 9 match. Hasan hit a quick 17 off eight deliveries, while Nawaz completed an undefeated 27 off 17 balls with three boundaries and a six. Usama Mir took two wickets for the Sultans, while David Willey, Chris Jordan, Khushdil Shah, and Mohammad Ali each dismissed one. Captain Rizwan’s decision to bat first helped the Sultans reach a big total thanks to a long second-wicket partnership. The Sultans lost Reeza Hendricks (13) in the second over, when the scoreboard showed 16 runs.
Usman joined skipper Rizwan in the middle after this early loss and launched a spectacular counterattack. Over 15 overs, the duo added 148 runs to the Sultans’ tally. Usman was the main aggressor in the remarkable combination, while Rizwan offered steadiness before leaving in the 18th over after a careful half-century.
Off 44 deliveries, he scored 58 runs with five boundaries. After Iftikhar Ahmed (4) went to Hasan Ali’s opening delivery of the penultimate over, the Sultans lost another wicket. Usman Khan scored his second PSL century in the final over with a six over deep square leg off Mir Hamza. Usman remained unbeaten, smashing 106 runs off 59 deliveries with 15 boundaries and five sixes. Blessing Hasan took one wicket as Muzarabani lead the Kings’ bowling attack. twitter facebook share WhatsApp share Comment: Add a public comment.
