Quetta Gladiators' wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed narrowly escaped serious injury after being struck on the head by a throw from his teammate, Mohammad Wasim Jr during a Pakistan Super League (PSL) match against Multan Sultans. The incident occurred after Wasim Jr caught Multan's Reeza Hendricks, who attempted a lofted shot to the mid-wicket boundary, and in celebration, threw the ball into the air, inadvertently hitting Sarfaraz.
The impact caused Sarfaraz to collapse on the field, necessitating immediate medical attention. The severity of the injury was quickly assessed, leading to Sarfaraz being swiftly taken off the field and rushed to the hospital for a comprehensive CT scan.
As a result of the incident, Sarfaraz Ahmed was substituted with Sajjad Ali as a concussion replacement and did not return to bat in the second innings.
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Hendricks' fiery 72
Opening the innings, Multan Sultans posted a formidable total of 180/4, thanks largely to Reeza Hendricks' explosive 72-run contribution off 47 balls. Hendricks' innings was highlighted by seven boundaries and four sixes. Multan's skipper, Mohammad Rizwan, further anchored the innings with a vital 51 runs off 42 balls, including two fours and four sixes, batting at the top of the order.
Tayyab Tahir provided the innings with a strong finish, scoring an unbeaten 35 runs from 22 balls. His performance featured four fours and two sixes, achieving a strike rate of nearly 160.
Quetta Gladiators faced challenges early on, losing Jason Roy for just 12 runs. Despite a brief partnership, Saud Shakeel and Khawaja Nafay could only add 26 runs before Shakeel fell for 24 to David Willey. Mohammad Ali later took out Nafay after he managed to score 36 runs from 31 balls. Sherfane Rutherford was also dispatched by Willey, caught and bowled for 21 runs. With six wickets down for 134 runs, the Gladiators were left needing 45 runs from the final three overs to win.
The wicket tally rose as Mohammad Wasim Jr was out for a mere 1 run, while Mohammad Amir and Abrar Ahmed each contributed 12 runs. Ultimately, Quetta Gladiators were restricted to 167/9, conceding a 13-run victory to Multan Sultans.
Mohammad Ali emerged as the standout performer for Multan Sultans, securing a haul of three wickets and earning the Player of the Match accolade.
This defeat marked the Gladiators' first in the tournament, positioning them second in the standings with three victories and six points. Multan Sultans lead the pack, securing their fourth win in five matches and accumulating eight points.
Both Quetta Gladiators and Multan Sultans have showcased exceptional cricket in PSL 2024, dominating the league. Conversely, the defending champions, Lahore Qalandars, find themselves at the league's bottom with four defeats in as many matches. The team's bowling efforts have been lackluster, and the Shaheen Shah Afridi-led squad feels the absence of Rashid Khan.
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