LAHORE - Hasan Nawaz delivered a breathtaking unbeaten 67 to guide Quetta Gladiators to a thrilling two-wicket victory over Multan Sultans in their final league-stage clash of HBL PSL X at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Chasing 186 for victory, the Gladiators crossed the finish line on the final delivery of the 20th over, with Hasan’s explosive 38-ball innings — featuring six towering sixes and two fours — proving decisive. The win lifted Quetta to the top of the points table with seven wins and 15 points from 10 matches, while Multan slumped to their ninth defeat of the season.
With 11 required off the final over bowled by Mohammad Hasnain, Hasan managed only two runs from the first three balls. But he kept his composure, launching a straight six off the fourth delivery. A run out at the non-striker’s end on the penultimate ball added to the drama, leaving Gladiators needing two runs off the last ball. Hasan completed the job in style, dispatching it over long-on for a match-winning six.
Earlier in the chase, Quetta got off to a flying start with Khawaja Muhammad Nafay smashing a blistering 51 off 26 balls (5 fours, 4 sixes), while Saud Shakeel contributed 18 off 24 as the duo added 77 runs in 7.5 overs, including 60 in the Powerplay.
Multan hit back strongly with quick wickets in the 8th, 9th, and 10th overs, reducing Quetta to 87-3. Hasan then forged a crucial 29-run partnership with Dinesh Chandimal (17), before Ubaid Shah removed the Sri Lankan in the 13th over. Danish Aziz departed for a five-ball duck soon after, leaving the Gladiators at 123-5.
Hasan, however, found a reliable partner in Faheem Ashraf (16) as the pair added 36 runs off 20 balls for the sixth wicket, with 16 of those coming in Dilshan Madushanka’s 15th over. Quetta needed 46 off the last five overs, and despite losing three more wickets, Hasan’s heroics ensured they got over the line. For the Sultans, Shahid Aziz was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3-29.
Earlier, after opting to bat first, Multan posted a competitive 185-7. Yasir Khan led the charge with a quickfire 45 off 25 balls (6 fours, 2 sixes), while debutant Jahanzaib Sultan supported with 25 off 21. The duo added 52 runs for the second wicket after skipper Mohammad Rizwan fell in the second over.
Usman Tariq (3-32) struck crucial blows by removing both Jahanzaib and Yasir in the 7th and 9th overs, as Multan reached 82 at the halfway stage. Tayyab Tahir (36) and debutant Humayun Altaf (16) added 42 from just 26 balls to push the score forward in the middle overs.Muhammad Amir Barki chipped in with a valuable unbeaten 21 off 16 balls, while Shahid Aziz’s late cameo of 29 off 14 ballsensured Multan ended on a strong note.
Scores in Brief
QUETTA GLADIATORS 190-8, 20 overs (Hasan Nawaz 67*, Khawaja M Nafay 51; Shahid Aziz 3-29) beat MULTAN SULTANS 185-7, 20 overs (Yasir Khan 45, Tayyab Tahir 36, Shahid Aziz 29, M Amir Barki 21; Usman Tariq 3-32) by 2 wickets.