LAHORE, (APP – UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 23rd May, 2025) Abdullah Shafique and Fakhar Zaman played identical aggressive knocks to help Lahore Qalandars overhaul a par total of 191 and beat Karachi Kings by six wickets in the Eliminator I of the PSL X at the Gaddafi stadium on Thursday night.
Lahore Qalandars will face off Islamabad United in the Eliminator II for a place in the final of the PSL X on Sunday night.
Chasing a target of 191, Lahore Qalandars reached the target in 18.4 over with six wickets in hand. Abdullah Shafique 65 (35) played with authority and continued the good work started by Fakhar Zaman at the start of the innings. Abdullah hit three boundaries and five 6s in his knock and ensured that Lahore remains ahead if the DLS comes into play due to the imminent bad weather. Strong winds blew over the iconic Gaddafi stadium as the Qalandars started their innings and threatened to turn into a dust storm.
Abdullah built a useful partnership of 83 runs off 42 balls with Kusal Perera. Perera played a responsible knock 30 (24) and was the last wicket to fall when he was caught at deep mid-wicket by the substitute fielder Aamer Jamal off Mir Hamza.
It was Fakhar Zaman 47 (28) who started the onslaught and paved Lahore Qalandars’ way to victory from the very beginning of the innings. Fakhar’s blistering knock was laced with five boundaries and three 6s before he was held by Mohammad Nabi off Fawad Ali in the 9th over of the innings. Bhanuka Rajapaksa returned unbeaten on 23 (12) as he finished the match with a six over deep fine leg off Mir Hamza in the 19th over.
Hasan Ali was the most successful bowler for the Kings who claimed two wickets for 34 runs. He also became the highest wicket-taker with 17 scalps in the PSL X alongside Abbas Afridi. Afridi was off colour on the night as he conceded 49 runs in his four wicketless overs.
Mir Hamza and Fawad Ali claimed one wicket each for 32 and 27 runs respectively. Mohammad Nabi conceded 37 runs and was unsuccessful in making any breakthrough for his team.
Earlier, Karachi Kings scored 190-8 in their innings which never flourished as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals. David Warner anchored the Karachi innings as batters could not provide ample support to the ace batter and wickets kept falling around him. Only unbeaten knock of 27 by Khushdil Shah was the biggest contribution from a Karachi batters. The batters had good starts but no one could capitalize on the good time at the crease. Seifert 16 (8) played a quick innings to stitch a partnership of 43 runs in four overs. Saad Baig 11 (11), Irfan Khan 18 (12), and Mohammad Nabi 16 (10) had good starts but could not built a partnership or score big for the team
No solid partnership was the difference between the two teams as the Qalandars were able to overhaul the target through a 83 run partnership between Perera and Abdullah Shafique. Fakhar had also provided 42 runs partnership with Mohammad Naeem and 33 runs with Abdullah Shafique.
Karachi captain David Warner admitted the fact during the post-match ceremony, “I feel like we probably lost wickets at the wrong time, and our momentum sort of got taken away from us. I had a little bit of luck myself, but we didn’t get ourselves good enough with the bat. It’s probably two hundred runs par wicket.”
Haris Rauf was the most successful bowler for the Lahore Qalandars as he bagged three wickets for 35 runs while Shaheen Shah Afridi picked a brace for 47 runs. Zaman Khan, Shakib Al Hasan and Mohammad Naeem shared one wicket each to put brakes on the Karachi innings.
Abdullah Shafiuqe was adjudged Player of the Match for his match-defining knock.
