LAHORE: Quetta Gladiators failed to score 50 runs off the last 30 balls with five wickets standing and went down by nine runs in a high-scoring 30th match of the Pakistan Super League on Tuesday. In the other match, Multan Sultans qualified for the play-offs when they handed Rawalpindiz a six-wicket drubbing — the debutants’ eighth consecutive defeat.

Tuesday’s results moved defending champions Lahore Qalandars to fourth with eight points from eight matches, while Gladiators slipped to fifth on six points with one match in hand. Sultans consolidated second position with 12 points from eight matches. Peshawar Zalmi have already progressed to the 28 April Qualifier in Karachi against the side finishing second. Hyderabad Kingsmen and Karachi Kings are also on six points each but have three matches remaining.

On Wednesday, Hyderabad Kingsmen and Karachi Kings play their crucial eighth matches against Multan Sultans and Peshawar Zalmi, respectively. In the second twin-city derby of the competition, third-placed Islamabad United meet Rawalpindiz on Thursday in Karachi, while Lahore Qalandars host Karachi Kings on the same day with two important points at stake.

GLADIATORS THROW IT AWAY

In a day and age when 50 runs off 30 balls with five wickets in hand is considered a walk in the park, Quetta Gladiators showed otherwise, losing by nine runs with three wickets standing to all but end their play-off chances. Gladiators’ 188 for seven in reply to Qalandars’ 197 for six looked respectable only after No.9 batter Abrar Ahmed belted five fours in a 14-ball 24 not out, including 14 off Shaheen Shah Afridi’s penultimate over.

Rilee Rossouw made it look achievable when he scored 21 off four balls in Ubaid Shah’s 15th over before departing on the fifth ball with his side at 149 for five. Usama Mir, Shaheen and Haris Rauf conceded just 16 runs in the next three overs. Although Shaheen went for 14 in the 19th over, Haris successfully defended 19 in the last over, conceding nine.

Rossouw scored a 29-ball 62 with five fours and five sixes, while opener Shamyl Hussain was the other standout batter with 53 off 31 balls with five fours and three sixes. Saud Shakeel (17), Khawaja Nafay (12), Hasan Nawaz (0) and Bevon Jacobs (7) all failed to capitalise in a match that could have significantly boosted their play-off hopes.

Earlier, Fakhar Zaman stroked a whirlwind century as Lahore Qalandars posted 197 for six. Fakhar scored a 51-ball 103 with 11 fours and six sixes, while Sri Lanka’s Charith Asalanka scored the next best with 31.

Fakhar reached his fifty off 27 balls with eight fours and two sixes before completing his fourth career century off 50 balls. After his departure at the score of 164 in the 17th over, Qalandars scored 33 off the last 17 balls with Sams causing most of the damage with a 12-ball 18 not out.

SULTANS MAUL RAWALPINDIZ

Steve Smith scored his second half-century of the PSL to help Multan Sultans to a comfortable six-wicket victory over Rawalpindiz. Chasing 167, Sultans reached their target for the loss of four wickets in 18.4 overs with Smith scoring a 31-ball 56 with five fours and three sixes.

Smith put on 29 for the first wicket with Sahibzada Farhan (20) and 69 off 44 balls for the second wicket with Josh Philippe. Captain Ashton Turner hit a 21-ball 37 not out with three fours and a six to finish the job.

Earlier, Rawalpindiz collected 166 for four after electing to bat first, struggling at 105 for three after 15 overs before Daryl Mitchell, Sam Billings and Dian Forrester collectively scored 61 off the last five overs to add some respectability to the total.

Mitchell top-scored with a 46-ball 58 not out with three fours and two sixes, while Forrester scored 37 not out off 15 balls with three fours and three sixes. Billings contributed 29 off 20 balls, while Mohammad Rizwan’s difficult run with the bat continued as he managed 26 off 29 balls.

Scores in brief:

Match 30 – Lahore Qalandars beat Quetta Gladiators by nine runs, Lahore

LAHORE QALANDARS 197-6, 20 overs (Fakhar Zaman 103, Charith Asalanka 31, Daniel Sams 18 not out, Abdullah Shafique 14; Khalil Ahmed 2-48)

QUETTA GLADIATORS 188-7, 20 overs (Rilee Rossouw 62, Shamyl Hussain 53, Abrar Ahmed 24 not out, Saud Shakeel 17, Khawaja Nafay 12; Haris Rauf 2-28)

PLAYER OF THE MATCH – Fakhar Zaman (Lahore Qalandars)

Match 31 – Multan Sultans beat Rawalpindiz by six wickets, Karachi

RAWALPINDIZ 166-4, 20 overs (Daryl Mitchell 58 not out, Dian Forrester 37 not out, Sam Billings 29, Mohammad Rizwan 26)

MULTAN SULTANS 167-4, 18.4 overs (Steve Smith 56, Ashton Turner 37 not out, Sahibzada Farhan 20, Shan Masood 20, Josh Philippe 17; Asif Afridi 2-28)

PLAYER OF THE MATCH – Steve Smith (Multan Sultans)

WEDNESDAY’S FIXTURES: Karachi Kings v Peshawar Zalmi, Lahore; Hyderabad Kingsmen v Multan Sultans, Karachi

THURSDAY’S FIXTURES: Islamabad United v Rawalpindiz, Karachi; Lahore Qalandars v Karachi Kings, Lahore

FRIDAY’S FIXTURE: Hyderabad Kingsmen v Islamabad United, Lahore