LAHORE: Multan Sultans captain Ashton Turner could not hide his amusement during the post-match presentation on Sunday as his team secured their third win of the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) Season 11, defeating Quetta Gladiators at the Gaddafi Stadium.
When asked about the team’s next match against the Rawalpindi Kings at the same venue on Monday, where the Sultans are forced to play back-to-back matches – Turner replied light-heartedly.
“Take a blanket and a pillow and go somewhere and sleep — a very short turn,” he said.
Reflecting on the win, the all-rounder praised his team’s ability to adapt to changing conditions and their all-round performance, noting that tactical adjustments were key.
“Slightly different conditions than the last two games. We did well in all three aspects, which is satisfying,” he said. “I was probably going to bowl the first over but we expected two left-handers at the top. Fair play to them – they changed it.”
He also stressed the importance of effective use of spin options during the powerplay and praised the positive team atmosphere, highlighting the contributions of foreign and domestic players.
“We feel we haven’t used our spin in the powerplay. If the conditions suit, it’s a good option. Based on that, having the Australians in the camp will help, but more importantly, we have good people – our homegrown players and local support staff. The guys are playing with smiles on their faces,” he concluded.
Turner’s decision to bowl first worked well as a spin-heavy bowling attack restricted the 2019 champions to 166-7 in 20 overs.
South Shakeel top scored for Gladiators with 56 off 41 balls including 6 fours and a six while Bevon Jacobs remained unbeaten on 49 off 31 balls with 4 fours and 3 sixes.
Mohammad Nawaz led the bowling for Sultans with 3 for 30 in four overs, while Arafat Minhas grabbed two wickets and Turner one.
In reply, Multan chased down the target of 167 runs with 4 wickets and 15 balls to spare thanks to a half-century from former Australia captain Steve Smith, who scored 53 off 35 balls.
Experienced batsman Shaun Masood scored an unbeaten 46 off 30 balls.
For the Gladiators, Hasan Nawaz took 2 wickets for 17 runs in two overs, while Alsari Joseph and captain Saud Shakeel took one wicket each.
The six-wicket victory marked Sultans’ third win in four matches and lifted them 11 points above Karachi Kings in the PSL. Both sides have six points, but Multan have the best net run rate of 0.588.