- May 19, 2025
Cricket fans, if you thought the PSL drama was behind you, think again!!! The Quetta Gladiators and Multan Sultans served us up a nail-biter that was down to the final ball, and what a finish!!! Hasan Nawaz, the rising star of the Gladiators, snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, with a boundary that just cleared the fielder’s fingertips. Quite the win, and quite the heart-stopper to propel Quetta to the top of the table, and leave the Sultans trapped in the pits!!! Let’s break down what made it such a rollercoaster, and why Nawaz’s exploits were the sensational bit!!!
Hasan Nawaz — The Ultimate Finisher
Hasan Nawaz was brilliant. A fantastic innings of 67 off 38 balls, he displayed either ice-cold nerves or effectively an unyielding power-hitting to deliver the goods at the most critical timing. The calmness he exhibited in those final moments was even more impressive. Sultans bowled with ferocity, particularly Mohammad Hasnain’s Yorkers to constrict the final moments of Gladiators’ innings, and Nawaz was cool, collected, and aggressively clear with the placement of his bottom hand. He intercepted just enough of that final ball to catapult it into orbit for six. This is ‘clutch’ batting, the stuff that makes dreams for team’s batting orders; a mixture of guts, timing, and a small amount of luck. Nawaz may be Gladiator’s secret weapon.
Gladiators’ Middle-Order Woes and the Lower-Order Rescue
Although Nawaz is a star, the middle order of the Gladiators makes this simple. Khawaja Nafay came in on a rampage with a blistering 51, and Saud Shakeel, while not helping at all with a paltry 18 off of 24, gave the Sultan some substance, even through terrible bowling. Dinesh Chandimal and Danish Aziz finished easing the pressure from the chase, but the big change came from the lower order. Faheem Ashraf and Hasan Nawaz kept on the slow progression of runs and showed how important a tail is in T20 when there is something in the pitch.
Sultans’ Slump Continues, What’s Going Wrong?
In contrast, issues with the Multan Sultans continued. What is remarkable is that with all of their talent, including Mohammad Rizwan and Yasir Khan, it is hard to fathom how they could only win one out of ten matches. The Sultans’ missing the wicket of Rizwan early was indeed a setback, and although Yasir and Tayyab Tahir attempted to settle, they struggled when attempting to build crucial partnerships to successfully challenge the Gladiators. This was compounded by poor fielding errors from the Sultans, including a dropped catch, which was key for the Sultans, and more wayward throws from the bowler, which went over the fielder’s head in the last overs. For them, it is difficult being so close and then to drop a catch, especially one that silly that amateur cricketers should catch. It was glaringly obvious that they needed to practice their under-pressure skills playing against the Gladiators if they wanted to escape the bottom of the standings.
The Gladiators grabbed a much-needed confidence booster heading into their next matches, particularly knowing they are serious contenders in this year’s competition. The Sultans will need to quickly regroup and get back to the basics, for they are only making life harder with needless anxiety created by losses. So, what do you think, cricket fans? Can Hasan Nawaz keep producing those moments of magic? And can the “Sultans” get their act together before it is too late? Let’s keep the discussion going, as this match proves if anything, the PSL has just begun!
For more, visit JeetBuzz News to read our quality Cricket Blog updates. Explore if you want to reminisce and enjoy all of your favourite cricket players and nostalgic match moments. To ensure that you never miss out, keep updated and join in the fun!
