Raza jets in 10 minutes before toss to lead Lahore to PSL title
LAHORE: Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari (3rdR) hands over the trophy to Lahore Qalanders' captain Shaheen Shah Afridi (L) during the victory ceremony at the end of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) Twenty20 final cricket match between Lahore Qalandars and Quetta Gladiators at the Qaddafi Cricket Stadium in Lahore on May 25, 2025. – AFP
LAHORE: Sikandar Raza hit the winning runs to seal the Pakistan Super League title for Lahore Qalandars on Sunday, having landed just 10 minutes before the toss after a mad dash from England.
The 39-year-old was carried off the field on the shoulders of his celebrating teammates after having jumped on a plane to Pakistan straight after Zimbabwe's innings defeat in the Nottingham Test on Saturday.
Raza hit 22 not out with two sixes and two fours to give the home team a thrilling six-wicket victory over Quetta Gladiators with one ball to spare. 'Had dinner in Birmingham, breakfast in Dubai, drove to Abu Dhabi for lunch, took a flight and had dinner in Pakistan,' said Raza, who scored a half-century in his country's heavy defeat to England.
'I guess this is the life of a professional cricketer, and I'm truly humbled and blessed to have that life.' Needing 13 off the last over to complete a 202-run chase, Raza struck a six and a four to help seal the title.
Sri Lankan Kusal Perera led the chase with an undefeated 31-ball 62 studded with five boundaries and four sixes, adding 59 runs during the unbroken fifth-wicket stand. Opener Mohammad Naeem scored 46, with half a dozen sixes and one boundary, and Abdullah Shafique hit 41 to set Lahore on course to make the highest successful chase in a PSL final.
Lahore sealed their third title following triumphs in 2022 and 2023. Hasan Nawaz scored a brilliant 76 to lift Quetta to 201-9 after they won the toss and batted. Coming in at 21-2, Nawaz added 67 for the fourth wicket with Avishka Fernando (29) and 46 with Dinesh Chandimal (22).
Skipper Shaheen Shah Afridi was the pick of Lahore's bowlers with 3-24. It was Faheem Ashraf (28) who lifted Quetta past 200, taking 23 off the last over from Salman Mirza. The six-team PSL was suspended on May 9 following the conflict between Pakistan and India. The league resumed on May 17 after a ceasefire between the two countries. – AFP
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