Saud Shakeel and Bevon Jacobs Power Quetta Gladiators to 166/7 Against Multan Sultans

Quetta Gladiators have set a competitive target of 167 for the Multan Sultans, finishing their innings at 166/7 after being put into bat in Match 13 of PSL 11.

The afternoon began with Multan’s skipper winning the toss and opting to field, a decision that initially looked inspired as the Sultans' bowling attack applied the squeeze early on. However, a composed half-century from Saud Shakeel and a late-innings flourish ensured the Gladiators posted a total that their bowlers could defend.

Quetta’s innings was a tale of two halves. The powerplay was a cagey affair, with Multan’s new-ball bowlers,led by the disciplined Ashton Turner, restricting the scoring opportunities. The pressure eventually told when the breakthrough came, but it was Saud Shakeel who held the innings together. Shakeel, often criticized for his strike rate in the shortest format, silenced doubters with a gritty 56 off 41 balls. His innings was a masterclass in rotating the strike and finding the fence just as the pressure began to mount, providing the spine the Gladiators desperately needed.

The standout performer with the ball for Multan was undoubtedly the young Arafat Minhas. The left-arm spinner was clinical, finishing with figures of 2/14 in his four overs. Minhas’s ability to vary his pace and extract bounce from the Lahore surface made him nearly impossible to get away, accounting for key wickets that prevented Quetta from ever truly breaking loose during the middle overs.

Just as Multan looked to be coasting toward a sub-150 target, Bevon Jacobs (49 off 31 balls) provided the necessary fireworks. Entering the fray in the death overs, Jacobs played with freedom, clearing the ropes and injecting much-needed momentum into the Quetta camp. His cameo ensured that 42 runs were added in the final four overs, shifting the psychological advantage back toward the Purple Force.

For Multan, the chase will require a calculated approach. While 167 is far from a mountain, the Gaddafi pitch has shown signs of slowing down, suggesting that Quetta’s spin duo will have a massive role to play. The Sultans will lean heavily on their top order to navigate the powerplay, knowing that any early stumbles could make this a nervy pursuit.

Can Multan’s powerhouse batting lineup overhaul the target, or will Quetta’s bowlers defend 166 to climb up the table?