PSL: Rizwan's 76 earns Multan seventh win as Karachi's losing streak continues

Lahore [Pakistan], February 17 (ANI): Multan Sultans skipper Mohammad Rizwan led from the front as his side overcame a stiff challenge from the winless Karachi Kings to register their seventh win out of eight round matches in the 23rd match of the Pakistan Super League 7 played at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore on Wednesday night.
Sultans were set a 175-run target, Shan Masood and Rizwan provided their side a 100-run start to the chase. Kings, however, remained in the game as their bowlers kept a check on the Sultans' scoring rate. By the time Shan (45 off 41, six fours) was dismissed by Mir Hamza - 15th over, the asking rate had climbed past 13 runs per over.
Rizwan (76 off 56, eight fours) upped the ante after Shan's departure with five fours in a space of seven balls. Rizwan took 18 off the 16th over bowled by Umaid Asif before hitting another boundary off Chris Jordan. Jordan hit back by having Rizwan caught by Qasim Akram to reignite Kings' hopes.
It came down to 29 off the last 12 balls, Khushdil Shah played a series of sensational shots off Jordan as the experienced English bowler conceded 20 runs with Khushdil hitting two sixes and one four.
The match was finished by a magnificent strike by Rilee Rossouw over mid-wicket off the third ball of the final over bowled by Umaid as Sultans finished the match with three balls to spare. Sultans ended-up scoring 71 runs off the last 27 balls.
Sultans are now firm favourites to finish in the top-two in the play-offs (14 points from eight matches). Kings' are still searching for their first win of the season (eight matches, eight defeats), the 2020 champions have already been eliminated from the playoff race.
Brief Scores: Karachi Kings 174/6 (Joe Clarke 40, Sharjeel Khan 36; Shahnawaz Dahani 2-44); Multan Sultans 176/3 (Mohammad Rizwan 76, Shan Masood 45; Mir Hamza 2-24). (ANI)