LAHORE: Lahore Qalandars ended Islamabad United’s winning streak in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10 by defeating them at Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. After putting 209 on the scoreboard, the home side bowled out the defending champions for 121 in 16.5 overs to win the game by 88 runs.
The defending champions were off to a shaky start in their chase as Sahibzada Farhan fell to Shaheen Afridi on nine. Andries Gous and Salman Agha then stitched a 69-run partnership to stabilize the innings; however, Gous’s dismissal sparked a collapse which saw six United batters get out before reaching double-digit figures. Andries Gous remained the top run-getter for Islamabad United, having scored 41 off 27 balls while Salman Agha made 36 off 25 deliveries.
For Lahore Qalandars, Haris Rauf bagged a four-fer and Sikandar Raza picked up three wickets. Shaheen Afridi, Tom Curran, and Asif Afridi chipped in with one wicket each. Earlier, Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Naeem started strong for the home side with a 50-run opening stand before Naeem was run out after scoring 25 off 22 balls. Abdullah Shafique then joined Fakhar and the two shared a 47-run stand to take the Qalandars to 97 in 10.3 overs. The left-handed batter was dismissed after 44 off 30 balls, with the help of five fours and two sixes.
Daryl Mitchell then arrived at the crease to join Abdullah Shafique; however, the latter departed after scoring 22 off 17 balls, with the scoreboard showing 108 for three in 12.4 overs. Mitchell was then joined by wicketkeeping batter Sam Billings, and the two took Qalandars to 145. Mitchell was dismissed after scoring 28 off 18 deliveries. It was then Sam Billings and Sikandar Raza’s show as they launched Islamabad United bowlers for towering sixes all around the park. Raza was dismissed on the second last ball of the final over after scoring a quickfire 39 off 17 deliveries, with the help of three fours and three sixes. Billings remained unbeaten on 38 off 17 balls as the Qalandars finished at 209/6 in their 20 overs.
Playing XIs:
Lahore Qalandars: Fakhar Zaman, Muhammad Naeem, Abdullah Shafique, Daryl Mitchell, Sam Billings (wk), Sikandar Raza, Asif Ali, Tom Curran, Shaheen Afridi (c), Haris Rauf, and Asif Afridi.
Islamabad United: Andries Gous, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha, Imad Wasim, Haider Ali, Jason Holder, Shadab Khan (c), Azam Khan (wk), Ben Dwarshuis, Naseem Shah, and Hunain Shah.
Defending champions Islamabad United are firm at the top of the points table, with 10 points from their five games. Lahore Qalandars are third on the table with six points from six matches. The 10th edition of the Pakistan Super League kicked off on April 11 and will run till May 18. The six-team tournament will consist of 34 matches with Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium hosting 13 matches, including the two Eliminators and the final.
The Qalandars’ innings was set up by a solid opening partnership between Mohammad Naeem and Fakhar Zaman. The duo put on 50 runs in just 5.5 overs before Naeem was dismissed for a brisk 25 off 22 deliveries, including four boundaries and a six. Fakhar Zaman continued his fine form, scoring an aggressive 44 from just 30 balls, studded with 5 fours and 2 sixes. His innings provided the perfect platform for the middle order to build upon. Fakhar’s dismissal at 97 in the 10th over brought Abdullah Shafique to the crease.
Abdullah Shafique played a brief but effective innings of 22 from 17 balls with 3 boundaries before being dismissed in the 13th over with the team score at 108. New Zealand all-rounder Daryl Mitchell added valuable runs in the middle overs, contributing 28 off 18 balls with 2 fours and 2 sixes before departing in the 16th over with the score at 145. Islamabad United’s bowlers had a challenging day, with most of them facing the brunt of the Qalandars’ aggressive batting.
Jason Holder was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 2 for 54, while Imad Wasim was the most economical, claiming 2 wickets for 26 runs. Ben Dwarshuis managed to take 1 wicket but was expensive, conceding 51 runs. Chasing a daunting target of 210, Islamabad United’s innings never gained momentum and folded at 121 all out (16.5 overs), falling short by a massive 88 runs. A five-member constitutional bench headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan heard the case.
In this match, Sikandar Raza emerged as the Player of the Match for his all-round performance, scoring 39 runs and taking 3 wickets for 20 runs. Haris Rauf also made headlines with his bowling figures of 4 wickets for 31 runs, showcasing his skill and pace. The Qalandars' dominant performance not only secured a vital win but also marked the end of Islamabad United’s impressive winning streak in the PSL.
As the PSL continues, the Lahore Qalandars will look to build on this momentum as they prepare for their next match against Quetta Gladiators on Thursday, May 1, 2025, at the Gaddafi Stadium.
