Multan Sultans beat Karachi Kings by 11 Runs – PSL 2026 Match 28 Report
Multan Sultans ended a two-match losing run in emphatic fashion, posting 207/7 before dismissing Karachi Kings for 196 in the PSL 2026 Match 28 at National Stadium, Karachi. The margin of 11 runs does not quite tell the full story – Karachi Kings needed 57 off the last four overs and came close enough to keep things tense, but Multan’s pace trio held firm.
Multan Sultans Innings (207/7 in 20 overs)
Multan were off to a shaky start when Steven Smith departed for a golden duck, caught off Khushdil Shah on only the third ball. But the top order steadied quickly. Awais Zafar made 36 off 27, and Josh Philippe counter-attacked brilliantly – 44 off 23 balls, including two sixes, before Khushdil claimed his third. Khushdil Shah’s four-over spell of 3/35 was the standout bowling effort from Karachi.
Shan Masood gave the innings momentum with 46 off 25 (three fours, three sixes, SR 184), but it was the final few overs that really pushed Multan past 200. Mohammad Imran Randhawa came in at number nine and smashed 26 not out off just 8 balls – two fours, two sixes, strike rate 325. Together with Mohammad Wasim Jr (7* off 2), the unbroken last-wicket pair added crucial runs in the closing overs, lifting Multan to 207.
Moeen Ali (2/30 off four) and Khushdil Shah (3/35 off four) were Karachi’s best with the ball. Hasan Ali conceded 51 from four overs, expensive at the back end.
Fall of wickets: 1-11 (Smith, 1.3), 2-77 (Philippe, 7.2), 3-121 (Zafar, 12.1), 4-135 (Masood, 13.2), 5-154 (Turner, 15.4), 6-174 (Minhas, 17.6), 7-174 (Nawaz, 18.2)
Karachi Kings Chase (196/10 in 19.4 overs)
The chase started aggressively – Jason Roy fired 16 off 9 before Arafat Minhas snared him in the third over. Salman Agha fell cheaply for 2, and suddenly Karachi were 41/2 and needing to rebuild.
Reeza Hendricks was the anchor, top-scoring with 49 off 32 balls (five fours, two sixes). He and Moeen Ali (27 off 23) steadied the middle, but Karachi needed more from their power hitters. Abbas Afridi provided it late – 34 off 16 balls with a strike rate of 212.50, smashing three fours and two sixes – but it proved too little too late. Hasan Ali chipped in with 23 off 10 down the order, and Karachi were dismissed for 196 with two balls remaining in the final over.
Arafat Minhas was the pick of Multan’s bowlers with 3/32 from just three overs. Peter Siddle took 2/28 from four controlled overs, and the economical Momin Qamar (1/25 from three) kept pressure on through the middle. Mohammad Imran Randhawa went for 48 from four but had the key scalp of Hendricks at 49.
Fall of wickets: 1-29 (Roy, 2.2), 2-41 (Agha, 4.1), 3-47 (Baig, 5.1), 4-114 (Hendricks, 12.5), 5-129 (Moeen, 14.1), 6-151 (Khushdil, 15.6), 7-160 (Aziz, 16.4), 8-185 (Abbas, 18.1), 9-190 (Zampa, 18.5), 10-196 (Hasan, 19.4)
Statz MVP: Mohammad Imran Randhawa (61.2/100)
An unusual MVP pick – not your traditional match-winner, but the numbers back it. Mohammad Imran Randhawa contributed 26 not out off 8 balls at the death AND took the crucial wicket of Reeza Hendricks for 49 in the chase, finishing with 1/48 from four overs. The Statz Rating (combining batting impact, bowling effectiveness and match context) gives him a 61.2/100.
Top 5 Statz Ratings
- Mohammad Imran Randhawa (MS) – 61.2 – 26*(8), 1/48
- Moeen Ali (KRK) – 59.3 – 27(23), 2/30 – all-round contribution in a losing cause
- Khushdil Shah (KRK) – 58.6 – 3/35 off four overs, the key spell of the match
- Arafat Minhas (MS) – 52.2 – 3/32 off three overs, the pick of Multan’s attack in the chase
- Peter Siddle (MS) – 48.8 – 2/28 off four overs, controlled and effective
Turning Point
The 14th over. Karachi, needing around 80 from seven, had Reeza Hendricks going well on 49. Imran Randhawa got the outside edge and Hendricks was caught for 49 – exactly the kind of anchor-wicket that changes a chase. Karachi fell from 114/4 to 129/5 two overs later when Moeen went, and the required rate crept just beyond what the tail could provide.
Match Context
The win lifts Multan Sultans to third in the PSL 2026 table (W4 L2, 8 points) – back in contention after back-to-back defeats. Karachi Kings remain seventh (W3 L3, 6 points), their fourth loss in five now putting them under real pressure to qualify for the knockouts. PSL standings at statz.ai/cricket/standings.
