LAHORE: Lahore Qalandars set a competitive target of 210 runs for Islamabad United in the 19th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 10, finishing with six wickets down in what turned out to be an eventful innings at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Wednesday.
After a measured start, the Qalandars steadily built momentum, with Sam Billings leading the charge in the latter stages.
The Englishman played a blistering knock, remaining unbeaten on 38 off just 17 deliveries, which included four towering sixes and a boundary.
Notably, he launched two consecutive sixes off Naseem Shah—first a cheeky lap shot over the wicketkeeper, followed by a powerful strike over deep midwicket.
Sikandar Raza also made a crucial contribution, scoring a brisk 39 off 17 balls, providing vital impetus during the middle overs.
Daryl Mitchell chipped in with a valuable 28 off 18 deliveries, striking two sixes and a four before falling to a sharp catch by Haider Ali at deep midwicket.
Innings wrapped up, so is Raza’s wicket 🎯 #HBLPSLX I #ApnaXHai I #LQvIU pic.twitter.com/oVU8pclWl1
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) April 30, 2025
Abdullah Shafique’s attempt to clear the boundary ended in vain as Imad Wasim cleverly followed him downleg, forcing a miscue that was safely pouched by Haider Ali at long-on.
Fakhar’s dismissal
Imad Wasim had earlier struck a decisive blow by removing Fakhar Zaman just as he looked to up the ante, beating his outside edge with a ball that zipped through off the surface.
Young Mohammad Naeem impressed early on with his composure at the crease, playing a stylish straight drive off Ben Dwarshuis.
However, his promising knock came to an end due to a sharp piece of fielding by Dwarshuis himself, who pulled off a one-handed pick-up and direct hit to catch Naeem short of his ground.
The Qalandars’ innings found an early rhythm during the powerplay, with Fakhar Zaman briefly igniting the home crowd by launching a length delivery from Naseem Shah over deep square leg for six.
Earlier, Islamabad United had won the toss and opted to field first—skipper Shadab Khan citing the likelihood of dew and their strong record while chasing under lights as key reasons for the decision.
The Qalandars, however, made sure to post a challenging total despite the conditions, setting the stage for an exciting run chase under the lights in Lahore.
