LAHORE: Sahibzada Farhan produced a match-winning century of pure class and power, guiding Multan Sultans to a commanding six-wicket victory over Hyderabad Kingsmen in a high-scoring HBL Pakistan Super League encounter at Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday night.

Chasing a daunting 226, the Sultans romped home with eight balls to spare, finishing at 227-4 with eight balls to spare as with Sahibzada remained unbeaten on 106 off 57 balls.

The chase began under lights with dew already making its presence felt, turning the surface into a batting paradise.

Sri Lankan spinner Maheesh Theekshana opened the bowling for the Kingsmen, but Sahibzada and Steven Smith got the innings off to a solid if measured start.

Smith, in particular, looked in ominous touch, smashing a quickfire 46 off 20 balls laced with three sixes and a four. The opening stand swelled to 104 in just over eight overs before Hassan Khan induced a miscued loft from Smith that Irfan Khan Niazi pouched safely at long-on.

Sahibzada, however, remained anchored. Having reached his seventh PSL fifty earlier, he accelerated seamlessly. Boundaries flowed off his bat — elegant drives, powerful pulls and audacious sweeps — as the required run-rate stayed comfortably under control. By the time the strategic break arrived, the Sultans were cruising at over 13 runs an over.

The middle order provided brief support with Josh Philippe perishing for nine as her holed out to Marnus Labuschagne off Saim Ayub’s spin.

Shan Masood, promoted to number four, added a brisk 29 off 16, including two sixes, before Saim struck again, this time finding Hassan at deep square-leg. Ashton Turner’s brief stay ended on four when Theekshana’s arm ball took the outside edge to wicket-keeper Usman Khan.

Yet none of these dismissals dented the momentum. Sahibzada continued to dominate, reaching his second PSL century in the 18th over with a trademark flick past mid-on and raising his bat, acknowledging his team-mates’ applause as they rushed to congratulate him.

Arafat Minhas provided explosive finishing with an unbeaten 26 off 11 balls, including three fours and a six, ensuring there were no late jitters.

The Sultans’ power-hitting was clinical. They struck 18 sixes in total during the chase, capitalising on any width or length offered by the Kingsmen attack. Dew played a significant role, making grip difficult for the spinners and pacers alike.

Theekshana returned figures of 1-38, while Riley Meredith and Mohammad Ali struggled to stem the flow despite occasional yorkers. Saim picked up two wickets but leaked 43 runs in three overs. Labuschagne and Maaz Sadaqat were expensive in their short spells.

Earlier, the Kingsmen had posted a formidable 225-5 after winning the toss and electing to bat.

Their innings was built on aggressive starts and cameos rather than a single dominant knock. Openers Saim (27) and Maaz provided a flying platform with a 59-run stand in 5.1 overs.

Maaz, in particular, was destructive, smashing 62 off just 26 balls — including five sixes — in what many observers called one of the most explosive fifties of the season so far. Labuschagne (eight) and Usman (25 off 12) came and went quickly.

The real momentum shift came when Sharjeel Khan walked in at number five. The veteran left-hander played with freedom, remaining unbeaten on 51 off 26 balls. He found able support from Syed Saad Ali (23) and Irfan (22 not out).

A remarkable 30-run over from Shehzad Gul in the 17th, featuring two no-balls and multiple boundaries, pushed the Kingsmen past 200.

Peter Siddle and Mohammad Wasim Jr were the most successful bowlers for the Sultans, claiming a wicket apiece, though economy rates suffered across the board on a flat track.

Gaddafi Stadium lived up to its reputation as a batting-friendly venue under lights. The short boundaries and true bounce allowed batters from both sides to play with confidence. Dew, however, tilted the balance firmly in favour of the side batting second — a factor that Kingsmen captain Labuschagne might reflect on later.

Sahibzada’s unbeaten 106 was the cornerstone of the Sultans’ success. His ability to rotate strike early and then unleash big shots when needed underscored why he has been one of the most consistent openers in T20 cricket.

The knock contained seven fours and seven sixes, showcasing both timing and raw power. At the other end, Arafat’s late flourish ensured the target was overhauled with ease.

For the Kingsmen, their third defeat in a row will sting despite a competitive total. Their bowling lacked the penetration needed to defend such a score once dew set in.

Maaz’s blistering knock and Sharjeel’s mature innings were highlights, but the absence of a genuine death-over specialist proved costly. The victory keeps the Sultans firmly in contention in the early stages of the league, while the Kingsmen will need to regroup quickly.

Scoreboard

HYDERABAD KINGSMEN:

Saim Ayub c&b Siddle27

Maaz Sadaqat c Shehzad b Nawaz62

Marnus Labuschagne c Smith b Turner8

Usman Khan c Shehzad b Wasim25

Sharjeel Khan not out51

Syed Saad Ali b Wasim23

Irfan Khan not out22

EXTRAS (NB-2, W-5)7

TOTAL (for five wickets, 20 overs)225

DID NOT BAT: Hassan Khan, Maheesh Theekshana, Riley Meredith, Mohammad Ali

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-59 (Saim), 2-85 (Labuschagne), 3-104 (Maaz), 4-127 (Usman), 5-171 (Saad)

BOWLING: Shehzad 4-0-60-0 (2nb), Turner 3-0-28-1 (1w), Siddle 4-0-39-1 (2w), Wasim 4-0-37-2 (1w), Momin 3-0-39-0, Nawaz 2-0-22-1 (1w)

MULTAN SULTANS:

Sahibzada Farhan not out106

Steven Smith c Irfan b Hassan46

Josh Philippe c Labuschagne b Saim9

Shan Masood c Hassan b Saim29

Ashton Turner c Usman b Theekshana4

Arafat Minhas not out26

EXTRAS (NB-1, W-6)7

TOTAL (for four wickets, 18.4 overs)227

DID NOT BAT: Mohammad Nawaz, Peter Siddle, Mohammad Wasim, Shehzad Gul, Momin Qamar

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-104 (Smith), 2-120 (Philippe), 3-165 (Shan), 4-190 (Turner)

BOWLING: Theekshana 4-0-38-1 (1w), Meredith 3-0-40-0 (1w), Saim 3-0-43-2 (2w), Hassan 2-0-25-1, Ali 3.4-0-39-0 (1w), Labuschagne 2-0-32-0 (1nb), Maaz 1-0-10-0 (1w)

RESULT: Multan Sultans won by six wickets.

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Sahibzada Farhan

Published in Dawn, April 2nd, 2026

ROME: Italy woke up angry and disillusioned on Wednesday after the national team missed out on the World Cup for the third time in a row by losing a playoff to Bosnia, prolonging a sporting nightmare for the football-mad country.

“The World Cup curse,” said the front page of Italy’s main daily Corriere della Sera, calling for rebuilding in a country that has produced some of the game’s greatest players but has won only one match at the finals since lifting the trophy for the fourth time in 2006.

Headlines in La Gazzetta dello Sport and Corriere dello Sport, the country’s two main sports newspapers, both said “We’re all staying at home”, in reference to another summer without a World Cup.

Italy suffered a 4-1 defeat in the shoot-out in Zenica after their play-off final finished 1-1, while Turkey, the Czech Republic and Sweden all secured their places at the finals.

“I don’t think the boys deserved to suffer such a blow,” said Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso. “It’s difficult to digest.”

Gattuso knew he had a tough job on his hands when he was appointed in June, asked to replace Luciano Spalletti and take Italy to the World Cup with automatic qualification looking near-impossible after a 3-0 hammering at the hands of Norway.

One of the heroes of Italy’s 2006 World Cup triumph, Gattuso remained vague on his future as coach even as Gabriele Gravina, the head of Italy’s football federation (FIGC), asked him to stay beyond the end of his current contract which expires this summer.

Bosnia won at the end of extra time, with Sandro Tonali the only Italy player to score from the spot as Francesco Pio Esposito blazed their first penalty over and Bryan Cristante smashed his kick against the crossbar.

Moise Kean had given Gennaro Gattuso’s Italy the lead on 15 minutes, but they were reduced to 10 men when Alessandro Bastoni was shown a straight red card late in the first half.

Bosnia equalised on 79 minutes through Haris Tabakovic, and with no further goals in extra time the tie was decided on penalties.

The Azzurri last qualified for the World Cup finals in 2014, where Bosnia made their only previous appearance at the tournament. The Balkan team will play in Group ‘B’ this year with co-hosts Canada, Qatar and Switzerland.

National outrage

The defeat sparked outrage across the country as Italy’s Sport Minister Andrea Abodi said on Wednesday that Gravina should step down

“It’s clear that Italian football needs to be rebuilt from the ground up and that starts with changes at the top of the FIGC,” Abodi said in a statement.

Gravina has been in charge of the FIGC since late 2018, when he was elected to be the permanent replacement for Carlo Tavecchio.

A FIGC source confirmed to AFP that Gravina would hold a meeting on Thursday afternoon with the heads of Italy’s three professional divisions, and both the the players and referees’ associations.

Some fans made their feelings known about Gravina and the FIGC by chucking eggs at the governing body’s headquarters in Rome.

“It is an unacceptable disgrace. Italian football needs a complete overhaul, starting with the resignation of Gabriele Gravina,” the League Party, a member of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s coalition, wrote on Instagram.

Indescribable

On the flip-side, Bosnian football fans partied in towns and cities around the country until early dawn as the Balkan qualified for just their second World Cup.

Scenes of jubilation erupted as the Bosnians beat the four-time world champions at the stadium in the Bosnian city. As Esmir Bajraktarevic netted the winning spot kick, celebrations kicked off in the stands and around the country.

“The match was tense until the last second, but we knew in our hearts that we would win,” Teo Laic, 19, told AFP shortly after the game from a watch party nearby.

He was among thousands who packed live viewing sessions around the country, after tickets to the game — with a stadium capacity of just 18,000 — sold out in minutes.

“An indescribable atmosphere. I came to experience this, I knew we would win,” said Velida Garanovic, standing among a triumphant crowd, while wrapped in the country’s blue and yellow flag.

Kosovo dream over

Meanwhile, Turkey qualified as Kerem Akturkoglu’s 53rd-minute goal secured a 1-0 win in Kosovo, shattering their hosts’ dream of appearing at the tournament for the first time.

It will be Turkey’s first appearance at a World Cup since reaching the semi-finals in 2002. Vincenzo Montella’s team will go into Group D along with co-hosts the United States, Paraguay and Australia.

Montella’s side are ranked 22nd in the world but this will only be Turkey’s third ever appearance at the World Cup —they went to the 1954 tournament before coming third 24 years ago in South Korea and Japan.

“We achieved our dreams. The World Cup is the pinnacle in this profession,” Montella told UEFA.com.

Kosovo, ranked 78th, were targeting a first ever World Cup appearance, having only been accepted as FIFA members a decade ago.

Gyokeres heroics, danes denied

Sweden recovered from a desperate performance in the group stage of qualifying to secure their place at the finals in dramatic fashion.

Having beaten Ukraine 3-1 in last week’s semi-final, they edged Poland 3-2 in Stockholm, with Arsenal’s Viktor Gyokeres scoring an 88th-minute winner.

Earlier, Sweden had twice taken the lead only to be pegged back, with Anthony Elanga’s opener on 20 minutes cancelled out by Nicola Zalewski, only for Gustaf Lagerbielke to put the hosts back in front before half-time.

Karol Swiderski got Poland’s second early in the second half, but Gyokeres forced the ball over the line after a frantic goalmouth scramble late on.

Coached by Englishman Graham Potter, Sweden will go into Group ‘F’ at the World Cup along with the Netherlands, Japan and Tunisia.

Elsewhere, the Czech Republic matched Bosnia’s achievement by qualifying thanks to back-to-back shoot-out victories, as they followed their success against Ireland last week by defeating Denmark 3-1 on penalties in Prague.

The match finished 2-2 after extra time, with Pavel Sulc firing the hosts ahead only for Joachim Andersen to head the Danes level.

Ladislav Krejci then put the Czechs back in front in extra time, but Kasper Hogh made it 2-2.

However, Denmark converted just one of their four penalties, with Rasmus Hojlund, Anders Dreyer and Mathias Jensen all failing from the spot as the Czechs qualify for a first World Cup since 2006.

They go into Group ‘A’ with South Africa, South Korea and Mexico.

Published in Dawn, April 2nd, 2026

Police in Spain said on Wednesday that they were investigating “Islamophobic and xenophobic” chants heard during the Spain-Egypt international football match in Barcelona.

Egypt’s national anthem was jeered ahead of the 0-0 draw in Barcelona on Tuesday in a pre-World Cup friendly and authorities at the RCDE Stadium appealed to fans more than once over the public announcement system to refrain from making offensive comments.

It was the latest in a string of similar incidents to overshadow Spanish football in recent years, with Real Madrid’s Brazilian attacker Vinicius Junior in particular repeatedly racially abused.

“We are investigating yesterday’s Islamophobic and xenophobic chants at RCDE Stadium during the Spain-Egypt friendly match,” Catalonia’s regional police force, the Mossos d’Esquadra, wrote on X.

The announcement came shortly after Spain’s Justice Minister Felix Bolanos condemned the incident, saying that “racist insults and chants embarrass us as a society”.

“The far right will not leave any space free from their hatred, and those who remain silent today will be complicit, ” he added on X.

“We continue working for a country that is tolerant and respectful of everyone.”

Spain’s football federation and coach Luis de la Fuente had also condemned the behaviour of a section of the 35,000 crowd.

“It’s intolerable,” De la Fuente told reporters as soon as he sat down in the press conference room after the match.

“Violent people use football to carve out a space for themselves. They must be removed from society, identified, and kept as far away as possible,” the 64-year-old added.

Rafael Louzan, president of the Spanish Football Federation, called the incident “specific and isolated situations”.

“What we’ve done is condemn these kinds of attitudes and to say they must not be repeated,” he said.

The game in Barcelona was moved from Qatar due to the US-Israel war on Iran and was played out in a hostile environment from the start.