Qalandars Storm into Final with Crushing Win Over United

A devastating new-ball burst by Shaheen Shah Afridi and Salman Mirza, followed by incisive spin from Rishad Hossain, propelled Lahore Qalandars to a commanding 95-run victory over Islamabad United in Eliminator 2 of the PSL X, under the lights of the Gaddafi Stadium on Friday night.

The Qalandars now set up a thrilling showdown with Quetta Gladiators in the grand final on Sunday, 25 May at the same venue.

Set a daunting target of 203, Islamabad’s chase never got going. Shaheen Afridi, leading from the front, uprooted Mohammad Shahzad’s stumps in the opening over, while Salman Mirza wrecked the top order with a fiery spell that saw him remove Sahibzada Farhan, Rassie van der Dussen, and Imad Wasim, reducing United to 33 for 4 inside the Powerplay.

Although Salman Ali Agha (33 off 26) and Shadab Khan (26 off 14) attempted a brief counter-attack, the innings unraveled quickly. Rishad Hossain chipped in with three middle-order wickets, and Shaheen returned to seal the win with a third scalp, finishing with outstanding figures of 3 for 3 in 3.1 overs. United were bundled out for 107 in 15.1 overs — equalling the second-lowest total of the tournament.

Earlier, after electing to bat, Qalandars posted a strong 202 for 8. Despite the early loss of Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Naeem (50 off 25) and Abdullah Shafique (25) added a fluent 70-run stand, dominating the Powerplay. After Naeem’s departure, Kusal Perera anchored the innings with a classy 61 off 35 balls, supported by a rapid cameo from Bhanuka Rajapaksa (22 off 13).

The Qalandars scored 69 runs in the final five overs, thanks to a late onslaught from Perera and Asif Ali (15 off 7), as they breached the 200-run mark for the third time this season. Tymal Mills was the pick of the United bowlers with 3 for 42, while Salman Irshad claimed two wickets.

Scores in brief:

Match 33 – Eliminator 2: Lahore Qalandars beat Islamabad United by 95 runs at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

Lahore Qalandars: 202-8 in 20 overs (Kusal Perera 61, Mohammad Naeem 50, Abdullah Shafique 25; Tymal Mills 3-42, Salman Irshad 2-40)
Islamabad United: 107 all out in 15.1 overs (Salman Ali Agha 33, Shadab Khan 26; Shaheen Shah Afridi 3-3, Salman Mirza 3-16, Rishad Hossain 3-34)

Player of the Match: Salman Mirza (Lahore Qalandars)

Next Fixture:
Final – Quetta Gladiators vs Lahore Qalandars
at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore – 7:30 PM PKT, Sunday – 25 May 2025