Sahibzada Farhan struck a commanding unbeaten century to guide Multan Sultans to a six-wicket win over Hyderabad Kingsmen, successfully chasing down a target of 226 with eight balls to spare and moving to the top of the table.
Multan Sultans 227 for 4 (Farhan 106*, Smith 46, Ayub 2-43) beat Hyderabad Kingsmen 225 for 5 (Sadaqat 62, Sharjeel 51*, Wasim 2-37) by six wickets
Farhan’s 106 not out from 57 balls — his second PSL century and ninth in T20 cricket — featured eight sixes and seven fours, with the final six sealing the result. His innings outshone aggressive half-centuries from Maaz Sadaqat and Sharjeel Khan, who had earlier propelled Kingsmen to a strong total.
Batters dominate on flat surface
The match was played on the same surface used for the opening fixtures, offering conditions suited to batting. The pitch was dry and flat with just enough grass to maintain structure, allowing the ball to come nicely onto the bat.
Sultans’ chase was built on a dominant partnership between Farhan and Steven Smith. The pair added over a century — the third such stand of PSL 2026 — with their 100 coming in just 7.1 overs. Their initial 50-run stand arrived in only 3.4 overs, quicker than the opening partnership of Saim Ayub and Sadaqat earlier in the innings.
After a quiet opening over from Maheesh Theekshana, Smith set the tone by striking Riley Meredith for a four and a six in the second over, followed by two sixes off Ayub in the next. Farhan then accelerated, attacking Hassan Khan and Theekshana with a flurry of boundaries, including three sixes and three fours across successive overs.
Missed chances prove costly
Farhan received a crucial lifeline shortly after reaching his half-century, when Irfan Khan Niazi dropped a straightforward catch at long-on. Kingsmen missed another opportunity in the 14th over when Usman Khan failed to complete a simple stumping chance against Shan Masood, who then added 16 runs from the next three deliveries before being dismissed by Ayub.
The chase effectively slipped away in the following over when Farhan attacked Marnus Labuschagne, striking two sixes and a four in an over worth 21 runs, reducing the target to 38 from 30 balls.
Kingsmen’s strong start in vain
Earlier, Kingsmen had made a positive start after opting to bat, despite challenging conditions due to heavy dew. Openers Saim Ayub and Maaz Sadaqat laid a solid foundation, taking the team to 74 for 1 in the Powerplay — the third-highest of the season so far.
Sadaqat led the charge with a rapid 62 off 26 balls, including five sixes and five fours, while Usman contributed 25 with three sixes in a single over from Momin Qamar. Sharjeel Khan, returning to the PSL after three years, added an unbeaten 51 from 26 balls, highlighting his innings with a 30-run over against Shehzad Gul, who struggled with the wet ball and finished with figures of 0 for 60.
Standings update
With victories in both of their matches, Multan Sultans have moved to the top of the table. Hyderabad Kingsmen, meanwhile, remain at the bottom after losing all three of their games so far.
