Records tumble in Rawalpindi as Multan Sultans eliminate Quetta Gladiators

Usman Khan scored the fastest century in PSL history (36 balls), beating the record set by teammate Rilee Rossouw less than 24 hours earlier, to help the Sultans post a record total

Rawalpindi: Multan Sultans 262-3, Quetta Gladiators 253-8 - Multan Sultans won by nine runs

Records tumbled in Rawalpindi as Quetta Gladiators were eliminated from PSL8 by Multan Sultans, losing by nine runs.

Peshawar Zalmi are now assured of a place in the playoffs, alongside Lahore Qalandars, Islamabad United and Multan Sultans.

Sultans batter Usman Khan, back in the side for the first time since February 13, scored the fastest century in PSL history, taking just 36 balls to surpass the record set by teammate Rilee Rossouw less than 24 hours earlier. His side went on to post 262 for 3 from their 20 overs – the previous highest total was 247 for 2, set by Islamabad United against Peshawar Zalmi in 2021.

Quetta Gladiators also surpassed Islamabad United's total during their chase but bowler Qais Ahmad posted the PSL's most expensive figures, returning 2 for 77.

^{Mohammad Rizwan and Usman Khan shared a 157-run opening stand [Farooq Naeem/Getty Images]}

^{Omair Yousuf scored a half-century in vain for the Gladiators [Farooq Naeem/Getty Images]}

Batting first, the Sultans came out of the blocks firing and already had 91 runs on the board at the end of the powerplay. Ahmad was particularly expensive, conceding 27 runs from one over after being pumped for five boundaries by Khan.

He returned to the attack in the ninth and was given exactly the same treatment by Khan, who brought up his century during that over.

The Sultans were on course for 300 at the halfway mark, sitting pretty on 156 for 0, but Mohammad Nawaz struck with the first delivery after drinks to finally remove Khan for 120 (43).

Ahmad enjoyed better fortune with his final two overs, dismissing Rossouw for 15 (9) and Mohammad Rizwan for 55 (29), before Tim David and Kieron Pollard shared an unbeaten 58-run stand for the fourth wicket to propel the Sultans to their record total.

David scored 43 runs from 25 balls while Pollard chipped in with 23 runs (14 balls).

In reply, Quetta Gladiators lost Jason Roy inside two overs but showed their fight with explosive contributions from Martin Guptill (37 off 14), Omair Yousuf (67 off 36) and Iftikhar Ahmed (53 off 31), the latter pair putting on 104 runs off 57 deliveries for the fourth wicket.

Iftikhar and Yousuf departed in the space of four deliveries to derail the Gladiators' hopes of a successful chase before Pollard and Abbas Afridi combined for two wickets in two balls to account for Nawaz and Umaid Asif.

Umar Akmal also departed before Naveen-ul-Haq and Ahmad shared an unbeaten 32-run partnership in the final two overs to carry the Gladiators beyond 250.