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Express Tribune
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Quetta face Lahore in HBL PSLX final
Both Lahore Qalandars and Quetta Gladiators have contrasting histories but enter the final on a roll. Photo: PCB After entertaining month of cricket action, now we have come down to the final showdown between the Lahore Qalandars and the Quetta Gladiators on Sunday at the Gaddafi Stadium. Brisk half-centuries from Mohammad Naeem and Kusal Perera, followed by a collective bowling effort, led Lahore Qalandars to a thumping 95-run victory over Islamabad United in the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10 Eliminator 2 on Friday. The defeat marked the end of United's title defence, while two-time champions Qalandars march forward and will take on leaders Quetta Gladiators in the highly-anticipated PSL 10 final, scheduled to be played at the same venue on Sunday. Because when the league was suspended a fortnight earlier, Qalandars were arguably the hardest hit by absences from what remained of the season. Sam Billings, Daryl Mitchell and David Wiese did not return. Sikandar Raza came back, but only for a game - a knockout against Peshawar Zalmi. Haris Rauf and Zaman Khan, two mainstays of Qalandars' back-to-back titles, were both off colour and extremely expensive. Qalandars plugged those gaps by bringing in two Sri Lankans - Kusal Perera and Bhanuka Rajapaksa - who hadn't played T20 cricket in three and four months respectively; they combined for 83 off 48 against United on Friday. Salman Mirza, the 31-year old fast bowler who made his first-class debut in the giddy heights of the Logan Cup in Zimbabwe 18 months earlier, has sparkled, taking seven wickets in three games. Mohammad Naeem looked like a player shoehorned into the side for the sake of further promoting the Qalandars player development programme, but is now a mainstay of the top order alongside Fakhar Zaman and Abdullah Shafique. But if Quetta Gladiators appear a sideshow in the final, it's because they've spent much of the last six weeks clinically stripping any jeopardy from their position. They last lost a match on April 18, and have produced seven wins in their last seven completed matches. Most importantly, Finn Allen and Rilee Rossouw have returned, and another pair of Sri Lankans — Avishka Fernando and Dinesh Chandimal — made handy contributions in the qualifier that took them to the final on Wednesday. More ominously, though, Gladiators' trusty local bowling core stacks up against any across the league this season. Mohammad Amir has been near that wicked, wily best that has made him such an asset to any T20 franchise; no fast bowler with more wickets as an economy rate as low as his 7.41. Abrar Ahmed is joint-second on the wickets charts with an economy even superior to Amir's, while one of the men who joins him on 16 wickets is his fellow allrounder Faheem Ashraf. Gladiators' journey is almost the mirror opposite of Qalandars', having made three of the first four finals while Qalandars spent each of those seasons propping up the table. But though that victory in 2019 suggested the heralding of a dynasty, it was followed by a nosedive as the franchise lost its way, meandering meaninglessly through the next five seasons and missing out on the playoffs in four of them. This year, they have meticulously worked to remove weaknesses from their side, while Qalandars appear to have done a phenomenally good job of papering over theirs.
Business Recorder
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Business Recorder
Lahore Qalandars thrash Islamabad United to qualify for PSL 10 final
Lahore Qalandars registered a dominant 95-run victory over Islamabad United in the Qualifier 2 to book a berth in the final of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) fixture, thanks to a blistering half-century from Mohammad Naeem and a combined bowling effort led by Shaheen Shah Afridi and Salman Mirza. Opting to bat first, Lahore posted a formidable total of 202 for 8 in their allotted 20 overs. Mohammad Naeem led the charge with a rapid 50 off 25 deliveries, smashing seven fours and two sixes. Kusal Perera also made a crucial contribution, scoring 61 off 35 balls, while Abdullah Shafique and Bhanuka Rajapaksa chipped in with 25 and 22 runs respectively. Despite regular breakthroughs from Tymal Mills, who picked up 3 for 42, and Salman Irshad with 2 for 40, Islamabad failed to contain the flow of runs, as Lahore maintained a scoring rate of over 10 an over. Shafique shines as Lahore Qalandars knock Karachi Kings out of PSL 10 In response, Islamabad's chase never got going. The side crumbled under pressure and were bowled out for just 107 in 15.1 overs. Shaheen Afridi was the pick of the bowlers with a remarkable spell of 3 for 3 in 3.1 overs, while Salman Mirza and Rishad Hossain also claimed three wickets each. Only Salman Agha (33) and Shadab Khan (26) offered some resistance with the bat. Islamabad's top order collapsed early, losing three wickets for just 12 runs, and never recovered. The result lifts Lahore Qalandars' morale after recent setbacks, while Islamabad United will be left to reassess their batting strategy following a heavy defeat. Next fixture Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium will witness a thrilling encounter on Sunday as the home side Lahore Qalandars will take on Quetta Gladiators in the final of the PSL season 10. The match is scheduled to begin at 7:30 PM. Past PSL winners
Business Recorder
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Business Recorder
PSL 10: Lahore's dominant show knocks Peshawar out of contention
Lahore Qalandars delivered a clinical all-round performance to eliminate Peshawar Zalmi from the Pakistan Super League (PSL) Season 10 after a high-scoring 13-over rain-curtailed encounter on Sunday. After being asked to bat first, Lahore made the most of their reduced quota by posting a formidable 149/8 in 13 overs, thanks largely to Fakhar Zaman's explosive 60 off 36 balls. He struck 7 fours and 3 sixes, anchoring the innings with aggressive intent. Quick-fire cameos from Mohammad Naeem (22 off 10) and Asif Ali (18 off 6) lifted Lahore's run rate, while Kusal Perera (17 off 8) added crucial middle-over momentum. Despite regular wickets, Lahore maintained a scoring rate above 11 runs per over. Peshawar's bowlers struggled for control, with only Ahmed Daniyal (2/22) and Daniel Sams (2/28) showing some resistance with the ball. PSL 10: Hasan Nawaz's heroics propel Quetta to thrilling win over Multan
Express Tribune
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
HBL PSL 10 points table: Latest standings after Lahore Qalandars vs Karachi Kings
Karachi Kings pulled off a dramatic four-wicket win over arch-rivals Lahore Qalandars in Match 24 of HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10 at the Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday, reigniting their playoff push with a gutsy chase under pressure. Set a revised 168-run target in just 15 overs, Karachi's nerves held firm thanks to a sensational late burst from Irfan Khan, whose unbeaten 48 off 21 balls – featuring two fours and five towering sixes – snatched victory with just three balls to spare. Earlier, Lahore Qalandars posted 160/8 in their 20 overs, powered by fireworks from openers Mohammad Naeem and Fakhar Zaman. Naeem blazed a 29-ball 65 with six boundaries and five sixes, while Zaman added 51 from 33 balls, cracking four fours and three sixes. But Abbas Afridi turned the tide for Karachi with the ball, scalping four for 27 in just three overs. Hasan Ali, Mir Hamza, and Aamir Jamal each chipped in with a wicket to keep Lahore in check after the flying start. In reply, Karachi's chase was anchored by brisk cameos from openers David Warner and Tim Seifert (24 each), Saad Baig (25), and Mohammad Nabi (15), before Irfan Khan took charge in the death overs to seal a nail-biting win. The victory propelled Karachi Kings to third on the points table with 10 points from 8 matches – equal with Islamabad United but trailing on net run rate. Lahore Qalandars slipped to fourth, despite a higher NRR, with nine points from nine games. PSL 10 Points Table (After Match 24) Team M W L NR Pts NRR Quetta Gladiators 8 5 2 1 11 0.906 Islamabad United 8 5 3 0 10 0.650 Karachi Kings 8 5 3 0 10 0.433 Lahore Qalandars 9 4 4 1 9 0.958 Peshawar Zalmi 7 4 3 0 6 -0.507 Multan Sultans 8 1 7 0 2 -2.597 With this win, Karachi not only reclaimed bragging rights over their historic rivals but also took a major stride toward the playoffs in what's shaping up to be a fiery final leg of PSL 10.
BBC News
30-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Lahore inflict first defeat on PSL leaders Islamabad
Lahore Qalandars inflicted a first defeat of the Pakistan Super League season on Islamabad United with a thumping 88-run piled up 209-6 and then impressively dismissed Islamabad, who had won all five of their previous matches, for 121 in 16.5 Zaman's 44, 25 by Mohammad Naeem, 22 by Abdullah Shafique and 28 by Daryl Mitchell laid the platform for were then powered beyond 200 by England wicketkeeper Sam Billings' 38 not out and 39 by Zimbabwe international Sikandar Raza - both faced only 17 balls - with 96 runs coming in the last six Raza took 3-20 and Haris Rauf 4-31 in Islamabad's sorry remain top of the standings but Lahore move up to second two points PSL fixtures and results, table
