Imran Tahir hat-trick helps Multan Sultans thrash Quetta Gladiators by nine wickets

Waseem Ahmed 20:49 03/03/2018
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  • Tahir picked up a hat-trick in Sharjah. Pic courtesy: @thePSLt20/Twitter.

    Multan Sultans recorded a thumping nine-wicket victory over Quetta Gladiators for their third win in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL).

    Put into bat first after the Sultans skipper Shoaib Malik won the toss, the Gladiators were bundled out for just 102 in under 16 overs with only Shane Watson (19), Sarfraz Ahmed (30) and Mahmudullah (15) managing to get into double figures.

    In reply, the Multan Sultans coasted to victory, losing only wicket in the process as Kumar Sangakkara remained unbeaten on 51.

    Here are the key moments from Saturday’s clash at Sharjah.

    TANVIR AND JUNAID ROCK QUETTA

  • Jofra Archer out of PSL with side strain, Quetta Gladiators call up Ben Laughlin as replacement

  • After Mohammad Irfan and Sohail Tanvir started excellently with the ball, the pressure grew on Quetta’s openers. It eventually told when Umar Amin slashed Tanvir straight into the hands of third-man in the fourth over.

    With the very first delivery of the next over, Junaid Khan bowled Rameez Raja Jr to reduce Quetta to 28-2. When Watson holed out in the deep while trying to pull Junaid, the top-order was back in the pavilion for not a lot.

    TAHIR’S HAT-TRICK CLEANS UP THE TAIL

    Quetta were 108-7 when leg-spinners Imran Tahir bowled the 16th over. The South African cleaned up Hasan Khan’s stumps with his second delivery and then did the same to John Hastings in the subsequent ball as the Australian failed to read the wrong-one.

    The veteran leg-spinner went on his trademark celebratory run before returning to the crease for his hat-trick ball where Rahat Ali stood in front of him. Tahir pinned him on the crease with a skidder and went off on another exuberant celebratory run as the umpire raised his finger, resulting in the third hat-trick in PSL history.

    HASAN KHAN TRIES HARD

    Defending a paltry 102, the task for the Quetta Gladiators’ bowlers was difficult. They failed to find much joy though, as Multan batsmen played risk-free cricket.

    Quetta’s only wicket came in the 11th over when Ahmed Shehzad ventured down the track to Hasan Khan but miscued his shot to long-on.

    SANGAKKARA STEERS CHASE EXPERTLY

    With big hits not required, Multan opener Sangakkara made full use of his experience to anchor the innings.

    The elegant left-hander stuck to orthodox shots as he notched up an unbeaten half-century with the help of five crisp hits to the fence. The experienced batsman never gave a sniff of an opportunity to the Quetta bowlers.

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