The PSL 9 technical committee granted Sultans’ request to swap Ihsanullah for Shah, according to the information. Throughout his 17 T20 matches thus far, Ali Majid Shah has taken 16 wickets with the best bowling stats of 3/27.
Interestingly, the right-arm pacer has been practising in the nets, but he was unable to get the all-clear from the medical staff, so he was unable to participate in the current spectacle.
Having taken 22 wickets in 13 matches, Ihsanullah finished as the tournament’s second-highest wicket-taker and was instrumental in leading the Sultans to victory in the previous year’s edition. But with eight points from five games, the Sultans are atop the PSL 9 standings and don’t seem to be phased by his absence. However, the Quetta Gladiators, who are in second place with six points from four games, will put up a fierce fight for the 2021 champions.
Notably, the Sultans maintained their supremacy at the top of the table on Sunday by ending the Gladiators’ winning run. With half-centuries from Mohammad Rizwan and Reeza Hendricks, the home team amassed a commanding 180/4 on the scoreboard. With just 16 runs scored in the third over, the Gladiators lost Jason Roy due to a sluggish start while chasing a massive 181.
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Before David Willey sent Saud Shakeel back to the pavilion, he amassed an entertaining 24-run knock from 13 balls, including four boundaries and one six. With Khawaja Nafay at the wicket, captain Rilee Rossouw led the Quetta Gladiators to a thrilling comeback with a 62-run partnership in just 38 balls. Aftab Ibrahim claimed Rossouw after he scored 30 runs in 18 balls, including two sixes and a boundary when Khushdil Shah made a low catch.
This turned out to be the pivotal moment as the bowlers for Multan Sultans took key wickets to prevent the Quetta Gladiators from making a comeback. Before succumbing in the 15th over with 124 runs on the board, Nafay struck two boundaries and as many sixes his route to a 36-run knock from 31 balls. Sherfane Rutherford scored 21 runs off of 14 balls, smashing two sixes, while Akeal Hosein finished undefeated with 9 off 13.
Abrar Ahmed (12) was out on the last ball, and the Quetta Gladiators, who needed 23 runs off the last over, could only get nine runs, ultimately finishing with 167-9.