KARACHI: Winless Rawalpindiz recovered from a disastrous start to post a respectable 166 against Multan Sultans in the 31st match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL 11) at the National Bank Stadium on Tuesday.
Rawalpindiz need to defend 166 runs to register their maiden #HBLPSL11 win#NewEra | #RPvMS pic.twitter.com/QbevcQ9iFD
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) April 21, 2026
After being sent in to bat first by Multan Sultans, Rawalpindiz’s innings threatened to unravel inside the first two overs. Shahzaib Khan departed for a duck on fourth delivery, caught behind off Mohammad Imran. In the very next over, Yasir Khan fell for 4 off 6 balls, caught by Steve Smith off Peter Siddle, leaving Rawalpindiz reeling at 6 for 2.
Captain Mohammad Rizwan then walked in to join Daryl Mitchell, and the pair set about repairing the innings. They added a steady 63 runs for the third wicket, carefully navigating the middle overs. Rizwan contributed 26 off 29 balls, including one four and a six, before being stumped off Arafat Minhas in the 11th over.
Sam Billings provided valuable support to Mitchell, scoring a brisk 29 off 20 deliveries with two fours and a six. His dismissal in the 17th over, caught off Mohammad Wasim, left Rawalpindiz at 121 for 4 with just over three overs remaining.
Forrester with some fireworks towards the end 🙌🏻#HBLPSL11 | #NewEra | #RPvMS pic.twitter.com/NsDlnSVfYs
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) April 21, 2026
What followed was a sensational late-overs assault by Dian Forrester. The hard-hitting batter smashed an unbeaten 37 off just 15 balls, striking three fours and three sixes at an explosive strike rate of 246.66. He found an ideal partner in Daryl Mitchell, who anchored the innings brilliantly from the other end.
Mitchell remained not out on 58 off 46 balls, an innings that featured three fours and two sixes. Together, the pair added an unbeaten 45 runs off just 20 deliveries, propelling Rawalpindiz past the 160-run mark.
For Multan Sultans, Mohammad Imran was the standout bowler with exceptional figures of 1 for 9 in his three overs. Peter Siddle (1-39), Arafat Minhas (1-37), and Mohammad Wasim (1-27) each claimed a wicket, while Mohammad Nawaz and Momin Qamar bowled economically without success.
Rawalpindiz, who have lost all seven of their previous matches and are already out of the playoff race, will now need to defend 167 runs to keep hopes alive for a consolation victory. Multan Sultans, sitting second on the points table with 10 points, will begin their chase shortly, aiming to strengthen their position in the playoff standings.
