PSL 2023: Abbas Afridi's match-winning hat-trick derails Quetta Gladiators' spirited chase

Pakistan Super League 2023 continued to fascinate cricket fans on Saturday, March 11 as Quetta Gladiators and Multan Sultans locked horns in match 28 of the tournament at the Pindi Club Ground, Rawalpindi. Continuing the tradition of the last few games played at Rawalpindi, Multan Sultans posted a massive 262/3 in their allotted 20 overs.

In reply, Gladiators were in the hunt at 195/5 after 16 overs, however, a hat trick by Abbas Afridi in the death overs helped Sultans stop them at 253/8 in their allotted 20 overs.

After picking up the prized scalps of Mohammad Hafeez for just 1 and set-batter Iftikhar Ahmed in his first two overs. Afridi dismissed Mohammad Nawaz (16) and Umaid Asif (for a golden duck) on the last two balls of the 17^th over.

He further ended the dangerous-looking Umar Akmal’s stay at the crease on the first ball of the next over. Akmal mistimed a full toss and which went straight to Tim David at long off and became Afridi’s third consecutive scalp in as many deliveries and helped him completing his hat-trick. 

He also completed his fifer with Akmal’s wicket and finished the match with figures of 5/47 in four overs. Gladiators still managed to get close to Sultans’ total as they finished their innings on 253/8 losing the match by just nine runs.

Usman Khan scored the fastest hundred in PSL history

Coming back to the first innings, after being put in to bat first, Sultans happily accepted the opportunity and began taking Gladiators’ bowlers to the cleaners from the first ball itself. They promoted Usman Khan at the top and he repaid the faith of the team management by scoring the fastest-ever hundred in PSL history reaching the landmark off just 36 balls.

Usman was finally dismissed on 120 off 43 balls smashing 12 fours and nine sixes in his innings. Mohammad Rizwan (55 off 29 balls) and Tim David (43* off 25) took Sultans to the highest-ever total in PSL history. From Gladiators, Qais Ahmed registered the most expensive spell in T20 cricket as he finished with figures of 2/77 in four overs.

In reply, Omair Yusuf (67 off 36) and Iftikhar Ahmed (53 off 31) were the top scorers from Gladiators.

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