Usman puts Gladiators to the sword, Abbas grabs a hat-trick

• Peshawar Zalmi qualify for 16 March Eliminator 1; Islamabad United need to beat Zalmi on Sunday in Rawalpindi to set Qualifier date with Lahore Qalandars

• Rizwan retains Hanif Mohammad Cap for leading run-getter; Abbas snatches Fazal Mahmood Cap for leading wicket-taker from team-mate Ihsanullah 

• Match photographs available here

• Tickets for the matches are available at pcb.bookme.pk

• Match photographs available here; Event hashtags are #HBLPSL8 and #SabSitarayHumaray; match schedule available here; for more information, please click here

• The official nomenclature of the tournament is HBL PSL. Media houses are advised to use the correct event nomenclature in all texts, headlines and bulletins

Rawalpindi, 11 March 2023: Multan Sultans opener Usman Khan put his former franchise Quetta Gladiators to the sword and fast bowler Abbas Afridi registered a hat-trick to help Peshawar Zalmi to qualify for the HBL Pakistan Super League Eliminator 1 at Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday.

Usman, who played six matches for the Gladiators in 2021, hit a ruthless and destructive 43-ball 120 as Multan Sultans posted the league’s highest total of 262 for three. Abbas Afridi then recorded a split hat-trick and finished with figures of five for 47 as Quetta Gladiators put up a strong fight before finishing at 253 for eight.

The match aggregate of 515 runs was a new world record, beating the match aggregate of 501 runs between the Titans and Knights in the CSA T20 Challenge in 2022.

Gladiators, who needed to achieve the target in 10.3 overs and then hope Peshawar Zalmi lose heavily on Sunday to progress to the playoffs, ended their campaign with three wins and seven defeats. Karachi Kings are presently languishing at the bottom of the table, but will have chance to finish ahead of the Gladiators when they will face Lahore Qaladars at the Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday. However, to make it happen, they will have to beat the side that has recorded seven victories and has already qualified for the 15 March Qualifier.

The result also meant Peshawar Zalmi with four wins will feature in the 16 March Eliminator 1 irrespective of how their Sunday’s match against Islamabad United pans out. In contrast, if Islamabad United beat Peshawar Zalmi, they will move to 14 points and will take on Lahore Qalandars in the 15 March Qualifier. In the scenario of Islamabad United losing on Sunday, they will finish on 12 points and third on points table on net run-rate, meaning they will take on Peshawar Zalmi in the 16 March Eliminator 1.

Usman took full advantage of the absence of Naseem Shah and Mohammad Hasnain when he canned 12 fours and nine sixes in a 43-ball onslaught. He completed his first 50 from 22 balls with seven fours and three sixes, while his next 50 runs came off 14 balls with four fours and four sixes. His 36-ball 100 was the quickest century in HBL PSL, beating 24-hour-old record of team-mate Rilee Rossouw, who had reached the three figures in 41 balls against Peshawar Zalmi.

Usman made his intentions clear in the third over of the innings when he slapped Aimal Khan for four fours in five balls. In the sixth over, Usman welcomed Qais Ahmed by taking him to the cleaners by hitting three sixes and two fours as Multan Sultans completed their PowerPlay overs at 91 for no loss.

Usman showed no respect to the Afghanistan bowler when he returned in the ninth over, again belting him for three sixes and two fours. The hapless Qais Ahmed ended up with the most expensive HBL PSL figures of 4-0-77-2.

Usman was eventually stumped off a Mohammad Nawaz wide but after the Multan Sultans scoreboard showed 157 in 10 overs.

Rizwan carried on Usman’s good work by scoring 55 off 29 balls with six fours and two sixes, Tim David struck a 25-ball 43 not out with one four and four sixes and Kieron Pollard chipped in with 14-ball 23 not out with two fours and a six.

Quetta Gladiators’ hopes for a miracle ended before the end of the fifth over when Jason Roy (6) and Martin Guptill (37) were back in the dressing room with the scoreboard reading 60, which soon became 68 for three with the demise of Mohammad Hafeez (1).

Iftikhar Ahmed and Omair Bin Yousuf entertained a packed house with lusty hitting in a 104-run fourth wicket stand from 57 balls. The partnership ended when Iftikhar departed after scoring a 31-ball 53 with four fours and four sixes. Omair soon followed Iftikhar after an entertaining 36-ball 67 with seven fours and three sixes.

Umar Akmal scored 28 from 10 balls with two fours and three sixes, while Qais Ahmed and Naveen-ul-Haq also had some fun, scoring 17 each from seven balls apiece.

Abbas Afridi took wickets of Mohmmad Nawaz, Umaid Asif and Umar Akmal off his successive balls to become the fifth bowler in HBL PSL to claim a hat-trick after Mohammad Amir, Junaid Khan, Imran Tahir and Mohammad Sami. He had earlier dismissed Mohammad Hafeez and Iftikhar Ahmed to finish with figures of 4-0-47-5.

While Abbas Afridi (22) snatched the Fazal Mahmood cap for leading wicket-taker from team-mate Ihsanullah (20), Mohammad Rizwan has retained the Hanif Mohammad Cap for leading run-scorer. Rizwan has 483 runs from 10 matches, while Babar Azam has scored 416 runs from nine matches.

Scores in brief

Match 28 – Multan Sultans beat Quetta Gladiators by nine runs

Multan Sultans 262-3, 20 overs (Usman Khan 120, Mohammad Rizwan 55, Tim David 43 not out, Kieron Pollard 23 not out; Qais Ahmed 2-77, Mohammad Nawaz 1-50,)

Quetta Gladiators 253-8, 20 overs (Omair Bin Yousuf 67, Iftikhar Ahmed 53, Martin Guptill 37, Umar Akmal 28; Abbas Afridi 5-47, Ihsanullah 2-58)

Player of the match – Abbas Afridi (Multan Sultans)

Sunday’s fixtures: Peshawar Zalmi vs Islamabad United, Pindi Cricket Stadium (2pm); Lahore Qalandars v Karachi Kings, Gaddafi Stadium (7pm)

Points table: