Lahore Qalandars secured a spot in the PSL history books, completing the unlikeliest of chases to secure their third title, taking place at Gaddafi Stadium in a night that was high on drama, and low on oxygen. Lahore managed to chase down 202 against Quetta Gladiators in the final – the largest successful chase in a PSL final – and they did it in style!
Quetta ultimately finished their innings on 201 for 9 off 20 overs, and Lahore started their innings knowing they did not have a huge campaign behind them, and offered little fight in their previous head to head, which Quetta won convincingly. There was no hiding from it – Quetta was the dominant team for most of the match. Hasan Nawaz, however, made sure the night’s entertainment got off to a blistering start, blasting a 76 that rocked the evening. The solid start provided a platform that would sustain Quetta for a coupon buster of a total.
After a decent start with the ball, Lahore’s bowlers gained some traction courtesy of their captain Shaheen Shah Afridi who applied pressure at the right time again. The captain managed to take three wickets, with two of those being major scalp outs in the last two overs – keeping Lahore Qalandars’s chase viable.
But the real fireworks came with the bat.
Kusal Perera, in his trademark fashion, gave an incipient impression with a blistering 62 runs off 31 balls. His unbelievable timing, shot selection, and resounding confidence gave me deja vu to why he is one of the most destructive T20 batters in the world. Young Mohammad Naeem, who himself has been a pleasant surprise this season, contributed a valuable 46 runs off 27 balls, fortifying the innings after the expulsion of Perera.
Then Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza made the most memorable moment of the night, who just landed in Pakistan after finishing up a Test match in England with only minutes to spare before the toss, came to the crease! While traveling between continents, Raza batted like he had never left. He showed $K while handling the pressure, and struck the winning runs, getting the crowd up and creating ecstatic scenes in front of a sold-out home crowd.
Lahore Qalandars are now only the second team in PSL history to win 3 titles following the winning run, and for captain Shaheen Shah Afridi, a crowning achievement, with his third title as captain, and now the most wins as a captain in PSL history. He demonstrated great leadership all season, managing with the ball and for the tactical decisions throughout the tournament.
For the Qalandars, this win is about more than just silverware. It’s a redemption arc, a symbol of how far they’ve come since the early years of the league when they were known more for inconsistency than triumph.
This final wasn’t just a match — it was a statement. PSL fans won’t forget this chase any time soon. And neither will the Qalandars’ rivals.
