Key points
- First 200+ chase in T20 final history
- KKR’s 200 chase held T20 final record since 2014
- Quetta first to lose T20 final after scoring 200+
ISLAMABAD: Lahore Qalandars etched their name into Twenty20 cricket history on Sunday by successfully completing the highest-ever run chase in any T20 final. They dramatically clinched the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10 title, chasing down a daunting target of 202 runs against Quetta Gladiators with just one delivery remaining.
This thrilling victory marks the first occasion a team has chased over 200 runs to win a T20 final. The previous record for the highest successful chase in a T20 final was 200 runs, achieved by Kolkata Knight Riders against Kings XI Punjab in the 2014 Indian Premier League (IPL) final.
In a twist of fate, Quetta Gladiators became the first team to lose a T20 final after posting a total of 200 or more, with the defeat taking place at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.
Successful captain
The triumph was made even more significant as captain Shaheen Shah Afridi solidified his legacy, becoming the most successful skipper in PSL history. Leading the Qalandars to their third title, the 25-year-old left-arm pacer became the first captain to win three PSL championships.
Afridi had previously steered Lahore to back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023, setting a new standard well beyond that of any other PSL-winning captain, none of whom have secured more than one title:
- Shaheen Afridi (Lahore Qalandars) — 3
- Misbah-ul-Haq (Islamabad United) — 1
- Darren Sammy (Peshawar Zalmi) — 1
- JP Duminy (Islamabad United) — 1
- Sarfaraz Ahmed (Quetta Gladiators) — 1
- Imad Wasim (Karachi Kings) — 1
- Mohammad Rizwan (Multan Sultans) — 1
- Shadab Khan (Islamabad United) — 1
Unbeaten Raza
Sikandar Raza struck the winning runs to seal the title for Lahore Qalandars, having only landed in Pakistan around 10 minutes before the toss after a whirlwind journey from England.
The 39-year-old, who had flown out immediately following Zimbabwe’s innings defeat in the Nottingham Test on Saturday, was carried off the pitch by jubilant teammates after his match-winning cameo.
Raza remained unbeaten on 22, including two sixes and two fours, guiding the Qalandars to a six-wicket win over Quetta with just one ball to spare. With 13 required from the final over, Raza smashed a six and a four to help Lahore over the line.
Sri Lankan star Kusal Perera led the chase with an unbeaten 62 from just 31 balls, laced with five fours and four sixes. He shared an unbroken 59-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Raza.
Record-breaking chase
Opener Mohammad Naeem contributed a blistering 46, hitting six sixes and a four, while Abdullah Shafique added 41, helping set the stage for Lahore’s record-breaking chase in a PSL final.
This win secured the Qalandars’ third PSL crown, following their titles in 2022 and 2023.
Earlier, Hasan Nawaz played a pivotal role in lifting Quetta to 201-9 after they opted to bat first. Coming in at 21-2, Nawaz struck a superb 76, adding 67 for the fourth wicket with Avishka Fernando (29), and a further 46 with Dinesh Chandimal (22).
Lahore captain Shaheen Afridi starred with the ball, claiming 3-24, but it was Faheem Ashraf’s late flurry – 28 runs including 23 in the final over bowled by Salman Mirza – that pushed Quetta beyond the 200-mark, though ultimately in vain.
