Monitoring Desk
Lahore Qalandars pulled off a sensational last-over victory to clinch their third HBL PSL title in four seasons, chasing down a daunting 202-run target against Quetta Gladiators in a dramatic final at Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday.
With 57 runs needed off the last 20 balls, the odds were heavily stacked against Qalandars. But Kusal Perera and Sikandar Raza launched an extraordinary counterattack that turned the tide. Perera blazed an unbeaten 62 off 31 balls, while Raza smashed 22 off just 7 deliveries, sealing the win with a boundary and a six — all in front of a roaring home crowd.
Raza’s heroics were all the more remarkable given he arrived in Lahore just 10 minutes before the toss after playing a Test match for Zimbabwe in England. He wasted no time making an impact, slamming a four and a six off his first two balls immediately after Mohammad Amir had dismissed Bhanuka Rajapaksa.
Perera, who joined the squad mid-season following a temporary PSL halt due to regional tensions, played a flawless knock under pressure. He punished Khurram Shahzad and Amir in the death overs, including two sixes and two boundaries that helped swing the momentum decisively in Qalandars’ favor.
The Gladiators had appeared in control for most of the match. After being put in to bat, they posted 201-9, powered by Hasan Nawaz’s blistering 76 off 43 balls and late fireworks from Faheem Ashraf, who struck 28 not out, including three sixes in the final over.
Qalandars captain Shaheen Shah Afridi was instrumental with the ball, taking 3-24, including the crucial early wickets of Saud Shakeel and Finn Allen. Though Quetta rebuilt through Nawaz and Rossouw (24), regular breakthroughs kept Lahore in the hunt. Haris Rauf chipped in with two wickets in the final overs as Gladiators lost momentum late.
In response, Qalandars got a blazing start through Mohammad Naeem, who hammered 46 off 27 balls with six sixes. His departure, followed by Abdullah Shafique’s 41, saw Qalandars stutter in the middle overs. With the asking rate climbing, Perera and Raza produced a fearless display of power-hitting when it mattered most.
As Raza sealed the win with a wristy six over point, captain Shaheen Afridi hoisted him in triumph, while Gladiators players slumped to the ground in disbelief — left to rue a golden opportunity lost.
For Lahore Qalandars, it was a night of redemption, resilience, and remarkable resolve — a fitting finale to another memorable season of Pakistan’s premier T20 league.
