Sports Bulletin

Abdul Jabbar FaisalISLAMABAD: As part of the ongoing trophy tour celebrating their recent Pakistan Super League (PSL) title win, Lahore Qalandars owner Atif Rana visited the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad and met with Chargé d'Affaires, Natalie A. Baker.The visit served as a goodwill gesture, bringing together representatives of Lahore Qalandars and members of the U.S. Embassy’s cricket team and fan community. During the meeting, Mr. Rana presented a signed Lahore Qalandars jersey to Baker as a token of appreciation. The two sides shared their mutual passion for cricket and discussed the sport’s growing influence across cultures and borders.Baker had attended two Qalandars matches this season, including the thrilling final and has been enthusiastic about team’s energy, resilience, and eventual become a title triumphant. “Watching cricket live has been such an exciting experience,” said Ms Baker “I was thrilled to see such a huge fan base and such a crowd at Gaddafi Stadium the other night. As an American, I grew up around baseball, and it’s fascinating to see the parallels and passion that cricket inspires. With both sports now part of the Olympics, I look forward to seeing them spark even greater global connection. I want to sincerely thank the Lahore Qalandars for welcoming me and making me feel like part of their family.”Rana expressed gratitude for the embassy’s engagement with cricket and extended appreciation to Ms. Baker for her support. “I’m truly delighted to see cricket sparking conversations at the U.S. Embassy and to witness the enthusiasm of American friends toward this beautiful game,” he said. “We’re especially thankful to Baker for attending our matches. She will forever be a part of the Qalandars family—as we say, once a Qalandar, always a Qalandar.”Fresh off their PSL title victory, Lahore Qalandars continue to use the trophy tour to connect with fans and promote cricket development at home and abroad.Lahore Qalandars have emerged as one of the most successful franchises in PSL history, winning three titles in four last years. They also hold the distinction of being the only team to win back-to-back championships, achieving this rare feat in 2022 and 2023.

Lahore(SBR): Shaheen Shah Afridi’s Lahore Qalandars romped to their third HBL PSL title in four years as they beat Quetta Gladiators by six wickets in a thrilling last-over finale here at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore on Sunday night in front of a packed house.Qalandars, who notched their second-highest successful chase, hunted down the 202-run target with one ball to spare as they became the second team besides Islamabad United to bag three HBL PSL titles in the tournament’s 10-year history.The successful 202-run chase by Qalandars is also the highest target surmounted by a team in a T20 final.Kusal Perera, who top-scored for Qalandars with a blazing 62 not out, joined forces with Zimbabwean all-rounder Sikandar Raza to help their team complete a come-from-behind triumph as the duo stitched an unbeaten 19-ball 59-run fifth-wicket stand.Qalandars required 57 off 20 balls when the Perera and Sikandar got together with the latter making his mark right from the get-go as he struck a six and a four against Mohammad Amir off his first two balls to close off the 17th over of the innings.In the subsequent over, Perera struck two sixes against Khurram Shahzad consigning him for 16 runs. With the required rate above 15, the penultimate over saw Qalandars ransacking 18 runs as Perera again smacked Amir for two fours and a six on the last ball to bring the equation down to 13 required off the final over.Faheem Ashraf gave away only five runs on the first three balls before Raza (22 not out, 7b) bludgeoned a sensational six over deep cover-point followed by a four – the winning shot, to seal the title for Qalandars.Perera, who harvested 170 runs in four games this season, backed up his Eliminator two half-century with the match-winning unbeaten fifty in final in which he hit five fours and four sixes facing 31 balls.After Qalandars were 85-2 in the ninth over, Perera also stitched a 30-run partnership each with Abdullah Shafique (41, 28b, 4x4s, 1x6) and Bhanuka Rajapaksa (14, 16b, 1x4, 1x6) to keep the innings intact.At the start of the chase, Mohammad Naeem provided his team with a head-start as he struck six sixes and one four in his 27-ball 46 including a 39-run opening stand with Fakhar Zaman (11, 10b, 2x4s) and a steady 46-run second-wicket partnership with Abdullah.Naeem set the tone for Lahore’s successful chase by striking four sixes in a space of five balls across the second and third overs helping his team collect 56 runs off the Powerplay. Qalandars were 97-2 at the halfway stage before they belted the required remaining 105 runs off the next 9.5 overs.Earlier, Quetta Gladiators posted their third-highest total of the HBL PSL X after stumbling to 21-2 with Shaheen and Mohammad Salman Mirza removing the both openers cheaply.Gladiators’ top run-scorer in the innings and best batter of the tournament Hasan Nawaz fought back with 76 off 43 balls keeping the run flow going. Hasan and Rilee Rossouw wrestled back with a 19-ball 37-run stand after two early blows, which also saw their team finish the Powerplay with 57-2.Sikandar then removed Rossouw bringing on Avishka Fernando (29, 22b, 5x4) to the crease as he partnered Hasan for the next 6.3 overs. The duo struck nine fours and two sixes collectively in a 67-run stand for the fourth wicket to keep Lahore’s bowling attack on their toes.Dinesh Chandimal too helped Gladiators by assisting Hasan in a brisk 46-run stand, where the experienced Sri Lankan batter hit two sixes before departing in the 18th over for a 13-ball 22.Shaheen and Haris Rauf then stemmed Gladiators’ progress by delivering a two-wicket over each for eight runs collectively as the 2019 champions found themselves 178-8 in 19 overs.The last over of the innings saw Faheem hit Salman Mirza for three towering sixes and a four to collect 23 runs before falling for an eight-ball 28 on the last ball of the innings.For Lahore, skipper Shaheen, also the leading wicket-taker in the tournament with 19 scalps, returned impressive figures of 4-0-24-3, while Salman and Haris picked up two wickets each.Scores in brief:Match 34: Final – Lahore Qalandars beat Quetta Gladiators by six wickets at Gaddafi StadiumQuetta Gladiators 201-9, 20 overs (Hasan Nawaz 76, Avishka Fernando 29, Faheem Ashraf 28, Rilee Rossouw 22, Dinesh Chandimal 22; Shaheen Shah Afridi 3-24, Haris Rauf 2-41, Mohammad Salman Mirza 2-51)Lahore Qalandars 204-4, 19.5 overs (Kusal Perera 62 not out, Mohammad Naeem 46, Abdullah Shafique 41, Sikandar Raza 22 not out; Abrar Ahmed 1-27)Player of the final – Kusal Perera (Lahore Qalandars)Best batter of the tournament – Hasan Nawaz (Quetta Gladiators) – 399 runs in 12 matchesBest bowler of the tournament – Abrar Ahmed (Quetta Gladiators) – 17 wickets in 12 matchesBest wicket-keeper of the tournament – Mohammad Haris (Peshawar Zalmi) – 247 runs & 12 dismissals in 10 matchesBest fielder of the tournament – Abdul Samad (Peshawar Zalmi) – Nine catches in five matchesEmerging player of the tournament – Mohammad Naeem (Lahore Qalandars) – 316 runs and seven catches in 12 matchesBest all-rounder of the tournament – Faheem Ashraf (Quetta Gladiators) – 163 runs and 17 wickets in 12 matchesWinner of Spirit of Cricket Award – Peshawar Zalmi

Lahore(SBR): Abdullah Shafique and Fakhar Zaman’s blitzy knocks of 65 and 47, respectively helped Lahore Qalandars ace the 191-run chase against Karachi Kings with six wickets in hand in the eliminator 1 of the HBL PSL X here at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore on Thursday night.Lahore Qalandars will now face Islamabad United in the Eliminator 2 on Friday, 23 May at the same venue, while Karachi Kings’ campaign came to an end in HBL PSL X, where they won six matches and lost five. The winner of Eliminator 2 is set to play Quetta Gladiators in the 25 May final. In pursuit of the target, Fakhar and Mohammad Naeem (14, 12b, 1x4, 1x6) put on 42 runs before the latter fell prey to Hasan Ali. Fakhar, who faced 28 balls for his 47, struck five fours and three sixes during his stay on the crease setting the tone for Qalandars’ joint second-highest successful chase in HBL PSL.Abdullah, who walked in to bat in the 5th over, stitched a 33-run stand with Fakhar off 22 balls before taking on the Karachi bowlers aggressively in presence of Kusal Perera (30, 24b, 1x4, 1x6). With Fakhar’s departure in the ninth over, Qalandars were 89-2 at the halfway mark requiring 10.20 runs an over.The duo of Abdullah and Kusal ransacked 67 runs in the next five overs putting the Kings’ bowlers on the back foot before Hasan Ali put an end to the blazing 83-run third-wicket stand.Abdullah, who struck three fours and five sixes, to raise his eighth HBL PSL half-century, fell in the 16th over courtesy a brilliant grab by James Vince.Qalandars chased the total with eight balls in the bag as Bhanuka Rajapaksa hit two fours and a six – the winning shot, in his breezy 12-ball 23 not out. For Karachi Hasan picked up two wickets, while Fawad Ali and Mir Hamza dismissed one batter each.Earlier, Karachi Kings raced to 190-8 with David Warner leading the charge with the bat as he hit 75 during his 15-over stay at the crease. The next best score was no.6 batter Khushdil Shah’s unbeaten 27 as Lahore Qalandars pace attack shared six wickets among them.After Kings opted to bat, Shaheen Shah Afridi drew the first blood for Qalandars removing Tim Seifert for an eight-ball 16 and putting an end to a brisk 43-run stand, which came off 24 balls. Vince, who fell for a nine-ball four, was eked out by Shakib Al Hasan as Kings were 74-2 in seven overs.While Warner kept on jotting runs, Kings lost Saad Baig (11, 11b, 1x4) and Muhammad Irfan Khan (18, 12b, 1x6) in a space of 22 balls. Qalandars’ Mohammad Naeem proved effective against the Australian southpaw dismissing him for a 52-ball 75 inclusive of eight fours and three sixes in the 16th over.That the Kings were able to collect 50 runs off the last five overs, was largely due Khushdil Shah hitting three fours and two sixes in his 14-ball stay, while Mohammad Nabi chipped in with a 12-ball 18-run outing including one six.For Qalandars, Haris Rauf led the way with figures of 4-0-35-3 and Shaheen picked up two wickets.Scores in brief:Match 32: Eliminator 1: Lahore Qalandars beat Karachi Kings by six wickets at Gaddafi StadiumKarachi Kings 190-8, 20 overs (David Warner 75, Khushdil Shah 27 not out; Haris Rauf 3-35, Shaheen Shah Afridi 2-47)Lahore Qalandars 191-4, 18.4 overs (Abdullah Shafique 65, Fakhar Zaman 47, Kusal Perera 30, Bhanuka Rajapaksa 23 not out; Hasan Ali 2-37)Player of the match – Abdullah Shafique (Lahore Qalandars)Friday’s fixture:Eliminator 2 – Islamabad United v Lahore Qalandars at Gaddafi Stadium; 7.30pm PKT

Lahore(May 22, 2025): Bangladesh leg-spinner Rishad Hossain has rejoined the Lahore Qalandars squad after completing his national duty and will be available for selection in the much-anticipated PSL 2025 Eliminator against Karachi Kings.Rishad has made an immediate impression in his debut season with Lahore Qalandars, bringing energy and control to the bowling attack. In just five matches, he had taken 9 wickets at an average of 16.44, highlighting his ability to strike in key moments.His return is a timely boost for the Qalandars as they prepare for a high-stakes encounter in the knockout stage of the tournament. (PR)

Lahore(SBR):Quetta Gladiators on the back of an all-round performance by Faheem Ashraf beat Islamabad United by 30 runs at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Wednesday night to qualify for the final of HBL PSL X. The final will take place on Sunday, 25 May. Chasing a target of 209 runs set by the Gladiators in the Qualifier, United lost their in-form opener Alex Hales for no score in the second over to Faheem. After Hales’ dismissal, Sahibzada Farhan was joined by Rassie van der Dussen and the pair stitched a 71-run partnership for the second wicket. Van der Dussen (35 off 23 balls, four fours, two sixes) was the next batter to get dismissed in the ninth over of the innings.Farhan – also the recipient of the Hanif Mohammad Cap, top-scored for his side with a 35-ball 52, hitting eight fours and a six. Besides Farhan, Salman Ali Agha contributed 44 off 26 balls, including three fours and two sixes. Shadab Khan was the only other United batter to reach double figures.The target proved too steep for the defending champions as they were bowled out for 179 in 19.4 overs.For Gladiators, Usman Tariq took three wickets for 32 runs, while Faheem, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Wasim Jnr claimed two wickets each.Earlier, after opting to bat first, the Gladiators posted 209 for six in their 20 overs. After losing five wickets for 113 in 11.5 overs, Sri Lanka’s international Dinesh Chandimal and Pakistan’s Faheem Ashraf came together and knitted a vital 95-run stand for the sixth wicket. The left-handed Faheem was dismissed on the penultimate ball of the innings after scoring 45 off 23 balls, which included four fours and three sixes.Chandimal remained unbeaten on 48 off 28 balls, hitting four boundaries and three towering sixes. Opening batter Finn Allen was another notable contributor, scoring 41 off 27 balls with seven fours.For United, Ben Dwarshuis and Salman Irshad picked up two wickets apiece.Despite tonight’s defeat, Islamabad United can still reach the final if they win Eliminator 2, scheduled on 23 May.Scores in brief:Quetta Gladiators beat Islamabad United by 30 runs at Gaddafi StadiumQuetta Gladiators 209-6, 20 overs (Dinesh Chandimal 48, Faheem Ashraf 45, Finn Allen 41, Avishka Fernando 32; Ben Dwarshuis 2-31, Salman Irshad 2-34)Islamabad United 179 all out, 19.4 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 52, Salman Ali Agha 44, Rassie van der Dussen 35; Usman Tariq 3-32, Mohammad Amir 2-31, Faheem Ashraf 2-33, Mohammad Wasim Jnr 2-38)Player of the match: Faheem Ashraf (Quetta Gladiators)Thursday’s fixture:Eliminator 1 – Karachi Kings v Lahore Qalandars at Gaddafi Stadium; 7.30pm PKT

Lahore(SBR): Lahore Qalandars have signed Bangladeshi all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz for the play-offs stage of HBL PSL 10. The 27-year-old is expected to join the squad within the next two days.Mehidy replaces Zimbabwean all-rounder Sikandar Raza, who has left the squad to fulfill national duties with Zimbabwe.Renowned for his sharp off-spin and useful contributions with the bat in the lower order, Mehidy brings valuable international experience and a competitive edge to the Qalandars’ lineup at a decisive point in the tournament.“We’re excited to welcome Mehidy Hasan Miraz to the Qalandars family,” said Sameen Rana, COO and Team Director of Lahore Qalandars. “While we will miss Sikandar’s presence, we fully support his national commitments and are confident that Mehidy will add great value as we push forward in the play-offs.”Lahore Qalandars remain focused and determined as they aim for a strong finish to their HBL PSL 10 campaign.

Rawalpindi(Sports Bulletin Report):David Warner and James Vince’s mammoth 162-run stand helped Karachi Kings to a 23-run triumph over Peshawar Zalmi, which also ensured their place in the playoffs in the 27th HBL PSL X match here at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday night.Karachi Kings defended the 237-run total – their highest ever score in HBL PSL bettering the 236-6 against Multan Sultans earlier this season, as they restricted Peshawar Zalmi to 214-5 in the allotted 20 overs.With this result, along with Kings, Islamabad United too have qualified for the playoffs making Sunday’s Zalmi versus Lahore Qalandars contest a virtual knockout game.After Zalmi elected to bowl first, Luke Wood inflicted the first ball blow removing Ben McDermott for a golden duck. Warner and Vince then took charge ransacking 57 runs off the Powerplay consigning Ali Raza’s 4th and Ahmed Daniyal’s 5th over for 12 and 18 runs, respectively.James Vince, who also crossed the 12,000 T20 runs landmark during the outing, brought up his half-century off 29 balls in the 10th over as Kings notched 100 runs by the halfway mark.In the next five overs the duo collected 62 runs, while Vince’s 42-ball stay, which yielded 72 runs with the help of 11 fours and one six, came to end courtesy Ali Raza at the end of 15th over. Vince, with 366 runs to his name in nine games, has also become the Hanif Mohammad cap holder overtaking Mohammad Rizwan.In the following over Luke Wood removed Mohammad Irfan Khan for a three-ball two before Arif Yaqoob brought an end to player of the match Warner’s 49-ball 86-run outing, which included 11 fours and two sixes.Khushdil Shah, who walked in to bat at 165-3 in the 16th over, bludgeoned four fours and three sixes to remain unbeaten for 43 off just 15 balls, while Mohammad Nabi struck three sixes and one four in his 10-ball 26 not out as the duo belted 72 runs in the last four overs.For Zalmi, Luke Wood returned economical figures of 4-0-19-2.In turn, Peshawar Zalmi’s spirited reply was highlighted by Babar Azam’s blitzy 94 off 49 balls as he set the tone for the chase with a 77-run second-wicket stand with Saim Ayub (47, 31b, 5x4s, 2x6s) after Mohammad Haris departed in the third over.The budding partnership between Babar and Saim was broken by the Fazal Mahmood cap holder Mohammad Abbas Afridi (17 wickets) in the 11th over with 107 runs on the board.Tom Kohler-Cadmore (20, 15b, 1x6) partnered with Babar for a 33-ball 62-run stand in which the latter clubbed three fours and as many sixes out of his total of 10 fours and four sixes.With Zalmi requiring 69 off the last four overs, Kings managed to eke out three wickets in a space of 11 balls across the 17th and 18th overs including running out Babar Azam.Maaz Sadaqat (19 not out, 8b, 2x4s, 1x6) and Hussain Talat’s (12, 6b, 2x4s) four fours and one six in the subsequent overs wasn’t enough as their team fell 23 runs short. For Kings, Abbas Afridi picked up 2-48, while Hasan Ali and Mir Hamza dismissed one batter each. Scores in briefMatch 27: Karachi Kings beat Peshawar Zalmi by 23 runs at the Rawalpindi Cricket StadiumKarachi Kings 237-4, 20 overs (David Warner 86, James Vince 72, Khushdil Shah 43 not out, Mohammad Nabi 26 not out; Luke Wood 2-19)Peshawar Zalmi 214-5, 20 overs (Babar Azam 94, Saim Ayub 47, Tom Kohler-Cadmore 20, Maaz Sadaqat 19 not out; Mohammad Abbas Afridi 2-48)Player of the match – David Warner (Karachi Kings)Sunday’s fixtures:Multan Sultans v Quetta Gladiators at Rawalpindi Stadium; 3pm PKTPeshawar Zalmi v Lahore Qalandars at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium; 8pm PKT   

Lahore(SBR): Lahore Qalandars have confirmed the inclusion of Bangladesh’s legendary all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan for the remainder of the HBL Pakistan Super League Season 10. He will join he squad on May 17 in Islamabad.Shakib, widely regarded as one of Bangladesh's greatest cricketers, boasts an exceptional T20 record with 7,438 runs and 492 wickets, including career-best bowling figures of 6 for 6. A proven performer in T20 leagues around the world, his arrival is expected to strengthen Lahore Qalandars’ depth and balance as the team approaches the final stages of the group round.Shakib replaces Daryl Mitchell, who is unavailable due to a hand injury sustained during his last over against Karachi Kings on May 4. He got a blow on his left hand in 14.2 overs in Gaddafi Stadium in a rain-effected contest.Expressing his excitement about joining the side, Shakib Al Hasan said: “I’m really happy to join Lahore Qalandars for the ongoing PSL season. We’re at a crucial stage of the competition where every game counts. It’s a tournament I’ve always enjoyed watching, and now I’m looking forward to contributing on the field. Qalandars have great fans and a strong team spirit, and I’m excited to be a part of the group as we push for a strong finish.”Sameen Rana, Team Director of Lahore Qalandars, welcomed the addition: “I’m excited to welcome Shakib to the Lahore Qalandars family. His experience, skill, and all-round ability make him a valuable addition, especially at this important stage of the tournament. His presence will add depth to our squad, and we’re confident he’ll have a strong impact both on and off the field.

LAHORE(PR): New Zealand cricketer Daryl Mitchell, currently en route to New Zealand and mid-flight between the UAE and his home country, has shared a heartfelt message as tensions rise between India and Pakistan — two nations he says remain close to his heart."It's been tough to watch two countries that are so close to my heart in conflict over the past few days. My thoughts are with those affected on both sides," Mitchell said during his journey home.Having participated in both the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and the Indian Premier League (IPL), Mitchell reflected on the impact both tournaments have had on his cricketing career:"Both the PSL and IPL have played major roles in my career, and I’ve always cherished my time in both tournaments. I hope peace prevails and we can get back to playing the game we love and continue giving back to the amazing people who support us."While currently on his way home to be with his family, Mitchell expressed hope and optimism for the future."It feels good to be heading home to my family, but I’m also looking forward to returning to both countries in the future — places I truly love spending time in."

Lahore (SBR):Rilee Rossouw and Hasan Nawaz struck magnificent centuries in Quetta Gladiators’ 109-run triumph over Islamabad United here at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in 26th match of the HBL PSL X on Wednesday night.Quetta Gladiators were propelled to 263-3 in 20 overs - the highest ever team total in HBL PSL history, bettering Multan Sultans 262-3 at the same venue in March 2023. Rossouw and Hasan also became the first pair of batters to score centuries in the same innings in HBL PSL.The destructive Gladiators duo walked in to bat at 60-2 in the sixth over after opening batter Saud Shakeel (23) and Finn Allen (5) had departed. Rossouw, who brought up his third HBL PSL century, struck 14 fours and six sixes in his 104 off 46 balls, while also stitching a 134-run stand with Hasan in 10.1 overs. His half-century came off 26 balls.Hasan (100 not out, 45b, 4x4s, 9x6s) on the other hand brought up his second T20 century in dramatic style as he struck Ben Dwarshuis for a boundary on the last ball of Quetta’s innings.The 22-year-old, who earlier brought up his half-century from 29 balls, clubbed Naseem Shah for three sixes and a four in the penultimate over consigning him for 28 runs. While Rossouw departed in the 16th over, Hasan went onto stitch an unbeaten 69-run stand off 26 balls with Mark Chapman (13, 8b, 2x4s).Quetta ransacked 160 runs off the last 10 overs, including hitting Mohammad Nawaz for 21 in 12th over and Jason Holder for 20 in the next over. In turn, Islamabad United were dismissed for 154 all out in 19.3 overs as no.9 batter Imad Wasim (56, 41b, 5x4s, 2x6s) and no.10 Ben Dwarshuis (31, 24b, 1x4, 2x6s) helped their team avoid the biggest loss margin (120 runs) in HBL PSL history.Islamabad United, who now have five wins from nine matches and face a prospect of must-win last league game against Karachi Kings on Saturday, slipped to 68-8 in nine overs with Mohammad Amir eking out the first three scalps with 19 runs on the board.Mohammad Wasim Jnr (2-28), Abrar Ahmed (2-17), Faheem Ashraf (1-40) and Khurram Shahzad (1-41) struck in the middle overs to keep United batters in check before Imad and Dwarshuis stitched a 47-ball 55-run stand for the ninth wicket breaching the 150-run mark.Scores in brief;Quetta Gladiators 263-3. 20 overs (Rilee Rossouw 104, Hasan Nawaz 100 not out, Saud Shakeel 23)Islamabad United 154 all out, 19.3 overs (Imad Wasim 56, Ben Dwarshuis 31, Muhammad Shahzad 24; Mohammad Amir 3-6, Abrar Ahmed 2-17, Mohammad Wasim 2-28)Player of the match – Rilee Rossouw (Quetta Gladiators)Thursday’s fixture: Peshawar Zalmi v Karachi Kings at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium; 8pm PKT