Rossouw's blazing century powers Multan into PSL playoffs

Fri, Mar 10, 2023
Other News (AP)

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (AP) - Rilee Rossouw's breath-taking 41-ball century powered Multan Sultans to a four-wicket win over Peshawar Zalmi in a record-breaking Pakistan Super League run chase on Friday.

Rossouw blazed 121 off 51 balls with 12 fours and six sixes as Multan motored to a winning 244-6 with five balls to spare and book a playoffs spot.

Half-centuries by captain Babar Azam (73) and Saim Ayub (58) gave Peshawar an imposing total of 242-6.

But Rossouw smashed his own record for fastest century in the PSL and gave Multan its fifth win.

"When you're chasing such a high score, you have to go from ball one. Lucky for me, it's paid off tonight," Rossouw said. "This might be (my best Twenty20 innings ever) because it's a run chase and that's extra pressure, and everything adds up."

After adding a brisk 99 runs with Kieron Pollard (52), Rossouw raised his century off 41 balls and bettered his previous PSL record of a 43-ball century against Quetta in 2020.

Rossouw was eventually caught at long on by stand-in Peshawar captain Tom Kohler-Cadmore after Babar Azam felt sick at the change of innings.

Earlier, Babar and Saim shared a second successive century stand for Peshawar.

Multan fast bowler Abbas Afridi took 4-39 and Pollard made two brilliant catches on the boundary. But Kohler-Cadmore took 24 off the last over to leave fast bowler Anwar Ali with the second most expensive figures in the history of PSL, at 1-66.

Multan joined Lahore Qalandars and Islamabad in the playoffs. Peshawar and Quetta Gladiators still have a chance to qualify.

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