Sultans sign off Lahore first leg in style with dominant win over Rawalpindiz
By Nawaz Gohar ; Multan Sultans delivered a commanding all-round performance to defeat Rawalpindiz by seven wickets in the 14th match of HBL PSL 11 at the Gaddafi Stadium, bringing the Lahore leg of the tournament to an exciting close before action shifts to Karachi.
Chasing a challenging 183-run target, the table-toppers made light work of the pursuit, racing to 186-3 in just 16.2 overs and finishing the game with a remarkable 22 balls to spare.
The victory not only reinforced Sultans’ dominance in the tournament but also provided a fitting end to the first half of PSL 11 in Lahore. The competition now moves to Karachi, where Peshawar Zalmi will face Hyderabad Kingsmen in the next fixture on Wednesday.
Earlier, it was young left-arm spinner Faisal Akram who laid the foundation for Sultans’ success with a superb four-wicket haul, restricting Pindiz to 182-8 despite a late flourish.
Rawalpindiz had a shaky start as Yasir Khan fell early, and skipper Mohammad Rizwan could not convert his start, departing for 19. Kamran Ghulam briefly steadied the innings with a fluent 35, while Abdullah Fazal (14) and Daryl Mitchell (17) chipped in but failed to build substantial partnerships.
Faisal then turned the tide in the middle overs, removing key batters in quick succession to derail momentum. However, Sam Billings produced a spirited unbeaten 56 off 34 balls, anchoring the innings in the latter stages.
He found support from Dian Forrester, who smashed a quickfire 24 off 11 deliveries, lifting Pindiz to a competitive total. Arafat Minhas supported Faisal well with two wickets, while Peter Siddle and Muhammad Ismail picked up one each.
In response, Sultans suffered an early setback when Steven Smith was dismissed cheaply by Mohammad Amir with just 12 runs on the board. But what followed was a match-defining onslaught. Sahibzada Farhan and Josh Philippe combined to produce a breathtaking 110-run partnership for the second wicket, taking the game away from Pindiz with aggressive strokeplay and calculated hitting.
Philippe was the aggressor early on, smashing 56 off 30 balls, including six fours and three sixes, before falling to a clever slower delivery from Amir. Farhan, meanwhile, continued his sublime form, top-scoring with 68 off 38 balls, laced with five sixes and four boundaries. His innings ensured the chase never lost momentum.
After the departure of both set batters, Shan Masood and captain Ashton Turner calmly guided the Sultans home with an unbroken 47-run stand. Masood remained unbeaten on 27 off 15 balls, while Turner provided the finishing touches with a blistering 26 not out from just 10 deliveries, as the Sultans wrapped up the chase in emphatic fashion.
For Rawalpindiz, Mohammad Amir was the standout bowler, claiming two wickets, but lacked adequate support from the rest of the attack as the target proved insufficient against a rampant Sultans batting unit.
