Sports Bulletin

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

Dubai(UAE): The Emirates Cricket Board’s (ECB) Chairman Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan has congratulated the UAE Men’s team on their historic series win over Bangladesh at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. The Mohammad Waseem-led UAE stunned their experienced rivals in the last two matches of the series, with the victory sealed with a comfortable seven-wicket win on Wednesday night – 21 May – courtesy a stunning bowling performance by Haider Ali (three wickets for seven runs) and an unbeaten 87-run fourth-wicket partnership between Alishan Sharafu (68 not out) and Asif Khan (41 not out). Chairman Emirates Cricket Board Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan: “The Emirates Cricket Board is delighted with the outstanding performance of the UAE Men’s team in the three-match T20I series against Bangladesh. The team played brilliantly in the whole series while the support staff put in the hard yards to make the victory possible.“I want to congratulate the entire squad and wish them the very best in their upcoming international assignments. The ECB will continue to provide the best possible facilities and exposure to our immensely talented players, UAE continues to impress in the T20I format and the Bangladesh series win is another glorious chapter in our cricketing history. “In the recent past, the team has defeated formidable Test playing opponents like Afghanistan and New Zealand, the series win will give immense confidence and self-belief to our players and make them take on bigger and more established opponents.”

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(PCB Report):The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the revised schedule for the highly anticipated three-match T20I series against Bangladesh. The series will take place at Lahore’s iconic Gaddafi Stadium from 28 May to 1 June 2025. The action-packed series will kick off with the first T20I on Wednesday, 28 May, followed by the second fixture on Friday, 30 May. The third and final T20I is set to take place on Sunday, 1 June.Bangladesh are scheduled to arrive in Lahore on 25 May, with training sessions planned for 26 and 27 May to ensure optimal preparation ahead of the series. All three matches will begin at 8pm local time.The PCB looks forward to hosting Bangladesh and delivering an exciting series that promises high-quality cricket under lights at Gaddafi Stadium. 

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.

Lahore(PR): The selection committee has named a 16-member men’s squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Bangladesh, with Salman Ali Agha continuing as captain of the team.All three matches will be held at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, with the schedule set to be announced soon.The squad has been selected based on players’ performances in the ongoing HBL PSL X, which concludes on 25 May. This series also marks the first assignment for newly appointed head coach Mike Hesson. Squad:Salman Ali Agha (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wicket-keeper) and Saim Ayub.

Islamabad (PR):Shifa International Hospital Islamabad defeated Feariless Fighters Rawalpindi by 37 runs in a 1st Night match of the best of three series here at Pasban Cricket Ground Rawalpindi.Shifa International Captain Ibrar Ikhlaq won the toss and elected to bat first, Shifa International hit up 258 for the loss of four wickets in the allotted 25 overs. Batsman Zohaib Satti hit a fine century 129 runs not out 73 balls with 5 six and 16 fours, while Imran Shah (69) not out and Haris (21) were their leading run-getters. Feariless Fighters Nouman (2 for 51) and Faizan (1 for 21) were the other main wicket-takers. In reply, Feariless Fighters was bowled out for 221 runs in the 24th overs, Zahid (87), Ramzan (42), Nomi (27) and Faisal 26 were their main scorers. Syed Mudassar Bukhari bowled well and claimed 4 for 26 runs in 4 overs, while Mohammad Ikram (3 for 38), Amer Sohail (1 for 26) and Taimour (1 for 27) bowled well for Shifa International. Zohaib Satti declared “Man of the Match” for his impressive Performance.

Peshawar(PR):Lahore won the toss and opted to bat first, setting a formidable target of 230 for 5 in their allotted 20 overs. Sanwal Shahzada led the charge with an explosive 139 off just 75 deliveries, while Aftab provided solid support with 48 off 39. Mohsin Khan was the pick of the bowlers for Peshawar, claiming 2 wickets.In reply, Peshawar mounted a remarkable run chase, reaching the target in just 17.4 overs. Star batter Sanaullah Khan once again delivered a match-winning performance, remaining unbeaten on 137 off 65 balls. He was ably supported by Mohsin Khan, who contributed a quickfire 33 off 13 deliveries to seal the emphatic win.Result: Peshawar won by 8 wickets.Man of the Match: Sanaullah Khan.Match 6: Islamabad vs BahawalpurVenue: Mir Awais Cricket Ground, Peshawar Bahawalpur won the toss and elected to field first in their clash against Islamabad. The Islamabad batting lineup posted a respectable total of 182 for 5, thanks to a commanding 87 off 54 balls by Anees Javed and a steady 42 off 40 from Matiullah. Babar Ali was the standout bowler for Bahawalpur, picking up 2 wickets.Chasing 183 for victory, Bahawalpur reached the target in 18.1 overs with five wickets in hand. Muhammad Rashid starred with the bat, hammering an unbeaten 108 off 60 deliveries in a match-winning performance. He was well supported by Babar Ali, who chipped in with a valuable 21 off 16 balls. For Islamabad, Matiullah picked up 2 wickets, while Sayyam, Anees, and Akmal took one apiece.Result: Bahawalpur won by 5 Wickets.Man of the Match: Muhammad RashidMatch 7: Multan vs AJKVenue: Gymkhana Cricket Ground Peshawar.Multan won the toss and opted to bat first, posting a competitive total of 187 for 4. Key contributions came from M. Yousaf, who scored a composed 66 off 45 balls, and Safder, who added a rapid 39 off just 17 deliveries. Talha and Kamran picked up a wicket apiece for AJK.In response, AJK chased down the target in a blistering 10.2 overs, losing only two wickets. Kamran Akhter delivered a sensational unbeaten knock of 89 from just 29 balls, well supported by Nisar Ali, who smashed 78 off 29. Ghulam Akbar and Mohammad Shahbaz took one wicket each for Multan, but their efforts were in vain against the dominant AJK batting display.Result: AJK won by 8 wicketsMan of the Match: Kamran AkhterMatch 8: Abbottabad vs OkaraVenue: Mir Awais Cricket Ground, Peshawar Abbottabad won the toss and elected to bat first, setting a solid total of 187 for 5 in their allotted 20 overs. Riasat Khan led the charge with a commanding 92 off 64 balls, while Naeemullah added a valuable 62 off 47 deliveries. For Okara, Shahzad Akram picked up 2 wickets and Irfan claimed one.In response, Okara chased down the target in just 13.2 overs, losing only three wickets. Faseeh Ullah starred with a blistering 81 off 41 balls, while Umer Draz provided strong support with 61 off 29. M. Sabir and Arslan Rasheed managed to take a wicket each, but it wasn't enough to slow Okara’s powerful batting display.Result: Okara won by 7 wickets.Man of the Match: Faseeh Ullah.