Multan Sultans secured an 11-run win over Karachi Kings in a high-scoring PSL 2026 encounter in Karachi on Sunday. Despite late resistance from Abbas Afridi (34 off 16) and Hasan Ali (23 off 10), the Sultans defended their total of 207/7, strengthening their playoff push as they moved to second place with 10 points. Karachi Kings, meanwhile, slipped to a fourth consecutive defeat and seven points.
Late Fightback Falls Short for Karachi
Karachi’s chase looked all but over when captain Ashton Turner had Moeen Ali caught at long-off early in the 15th over. At that stage, Kings needed 79 runs from 35 balls with half their side already dismissed.
However, Abbas Afridi reignited hopes with two consecutive slog sweeps off Momin Qamar, followed by back-to-back boundaries against Arafat Minhas. The momentum continued as Hasan Ali joined the charge, launching a six early in his innings and benefiting from a dropped chance in the same over.
The equation quickly narrowed, with 23 needed from 12 balls and two wickets in hand. But Peter Siddle delivered a crucial over, conceding just five runs and shifting the momentum back in Multan’s favour. The Sultans eventually sealed the game in the final over with a run-out of Hasan Ali as he fell well short attempting to retain strike.
Early Breakthroughs Keep Sultans Ahead
The pitch at the National Stadium, prepared with Australian soil, proved ideal for batting. Sultans needed early wickets, and Arafat Minhas provided just that with two key strikes in the powerplay, removing Jason Roy and Salman Ali Agha. Siddle added another by dismissing Saad Baig, helping contain Karachi early.
A 67-run partnership between Moeen Ali (27 off 23) and Reeza Hendricks (49 off 32) steadied the innings, but their scoring rate lagged behind the required pace. Hendricks’ dismissal in the 13th over increased the pressure, leaving Karachi with a steep asking rate.
Strong Batting Display Powers Multan
Earlier, Multan Sultans built their imposing total through impactful contributions across the batting lineup. Josh Philippe’s quickfire 44 off 23 balls and Shan Masood’s 46 off 25 laid the foundation, while a blistering 26 off just eight balls from Mohammad Imran pushed the total past 200.
Philippe set the tone early, taking 25 runs off Abbas Afridi in a single over that included two sixes and a four. Masood targeted the spinners effectively, scoring all his boundaries against them and maintaining pressure through the middle overs.
Khushdil Shah played a key role with the ball, picking up three wickets, including those of Steven Smith, Philippe, and Awais Zafar, to stall Multan’s momentum at different stages.
The Sultans added 45 runs in the final three overs, including 21 in the last over bowled by Hasan Ali, which proved decisive in the context of the match.
Sultans Strengthen Playoff Push
In the end, Multan’s all-round effort and composure under pressure proved the difference in a tightly contested match. Their ability to deliver key moments with both bat and ball ensured they stayed ahead, while Karachi’s late surge ultimately fell just short.
