LAHORE: Sahibzada Farhan’s brilliant century led Multan Sultans to a 6-wicket win over Hyderabad Kingsmen in the eighth match of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at the Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday.
Chasing a tough target of 226 runs, the 2021 champions struck with four wickets and 8 balls to spare courtesy of Farhan.
The right-handed opener scored an unbeaten century for the Sultans and scored a top-scoring 106 off 57 balls with 8 sixes and 7 fours.
Farhan received ample support from his opening partner Steve Smith and vice-captain Shaun Masood, who scored 46 and 29 respectively, to weave an unbeaten 37-run partnership with Arafat Minhas, who scored a blistering 26 off 11 balls.
Saim Ayub took 2 wickets for 43 runs in his four overs for the Kingsmen, while Mahesh Deekshana and Hasan Khan picked up a wicket each.
Kingsmen skipper Marnus Labuschagne’s decision to bat first paid off as the tournament openers amassed 225/5 in their 20 overs.
Opening pair Saim Ayub and Maas put on 59 runs in five overs before Peter Siddle was caught off the bowling of the Kingsmen, resulting in 27 off 20 balls with 3 fours and a six.
Maas then forged brief partnerships with skipper Labuschagne and wicketkeeper-batsman Usman Khan until he fell to Mohammad Nawaz in the 10th over.
The 20-year-old was the Kingsmen’s top scorer with 62 off 26 balls with 5 sixes and several fours.
Usman was caught 10 balls later by Mohammad Wasim Jr’s Shehzad Gul at deep fine leg, resulting in the Kingsmen slipping to 127/4 in 11.2 overs.
Following the flurry of wickets, veteran Sharjeel Khan took control of the Kingsmen’s batting charge and smashed an unbeaten half-century, scoring 51 runs off 26 balls with the help of 4 sixes and 3 fours.
Sharjeel shared crucial partnerships at the back with Syed Saad Ali and Muhammad Irfan Khan, who contributed with handy cameos of 23 and 22 not out respectively.
Mohammad Wasim Jr bowled well for the Sultans, taking 2 for 37 in his four overs, while Nawaz, Siddle and captain Ashton Turner took one each.