sIn a stunning display of all-round dominance, Lahore Qalandars stormed into the Pakistan Super League (PSL) final after thrashing Islamabad United by a massive 95 runs at the Gaddafi Stadium. Despite entering the playoffs as the fourth-ranked team, the Qalandars are now peaking at the right time, having registered two emphatic victories on consecutive nights.
Batting first on a surface that offered a little help to the fast bowlers but remained largely good for scoring, Lahore posted an imposing total of 202 for 8. The innings was anchored by a blistering 61 off 35 balls from Sri Lankan opener Kusal Perera, while Mohammad Naeem contributed an explosive 50 from just 25 deliveries. United’s bowlers were left chasing shadows as the Qalandars’ top and middle-order batters piled on the runs with aggressive intent and intelligent shot placement.
Kusal Perera was particularly dominant, showcasing a mix of finesse and power. His innings included successive sixes off Naseem Shah in the 20th over, the first sailing over fine leg and the second sliced over deep third. His ability to find the boundary through the off-side was a highlight of the innings, as he repeatedly punished United’s bowlers for bowling wide outside off.
Earlier, Mohammad Naeem set the tone with a whirlwind start. After coming in early due to Fakhar Zaman’s dismissal at the end of the second over, Naeem wasted no time making his presence felt. He smashed three beautiful drives through cover and mid-off before unleashing an assault on Naseem Shah in the fifth over, taking 18 runs off it with a combination of fours and a towering six. By the end of the powerplay, Naeem had rocketed to 34 off just 14 balls and continued his assault even after the field spread out. His eventual dismissal—stumped while attempting a massive slog off Imad Wasim—came in the ninth over but not before he had laid the perfect platform.
Supporting acts came from Abdullah Shafique, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, and Asif Ali, who all chipped in to maintain the scoring momentum. Rajapaksa, also from Sri Lanka, added 22 off 13 balls during a brisk partnership with Kusal, peppering the extra-cover and point regions. Though wickets fell in the latter stages of the innings, Qalandars still finished strong at 202 for 8, a total that proved to be far beyond United’s reach.
United’s chase was derailed almost immediately. Within the first two overs, they had lost both openers—Shaheen Shah Afridi bowled a lethal inswinger to send Muhammad Shahzad’s middle stump flying, while Salman Mirza had Sahibzada Farhan chopping onto his stumps soon after. The collapse only worsened as Rassie van der Dussen was caught by a diving Perera, and Imad Wasim holed out to deep midwicket—all within the powerplay, which ended with United reeling at 33 for 4.
From there, the writing was on the wall. The required rate climbed above 12 runs per over with half the team back in the pavilion. The only resistance came from Salman Ali Agha, who struck a fluent 33 off 26 balls and tried to anchor a miracle recovery. However, his dismissal—caught at long-on off Rishad Hossain’s leg-spin—marked the end of any remaining hope for United.
Shaheen Shah Afridi and Salman Mirza were unplayable with the new ball. Both left-arm quicks ripped through United’s top order with pace, movement, and pinpoint accuracy. Afridi returned to clean up the tail, finishing with sensational figures of 3 for 3 in 3.1 overs, while Mirza was equally impressive with 3 for 16.
United, who had finished second on the points table after the league stage, crashed out of the playoffs with a whimper. Their batting never got going, and their bowlers failed to contain Lahore’s aggression. In contrast, the Qalandars are riding high on confidence and form, having now won three matches in a row.
They now march into the final to face table-toppers Quetta Gladiators, bringing with them serious momentum and belief. With their batting firing on all cylinders and their pace attack in top form, Lahore Qalandars are shaping up as formidable contenders for the PSL title.
