Lahore Qalandars made a strong start to their title defence in the Pakistan Super League, registering a comprehensive 69-run victory over Hyderabad Kingsmen at the Gaddafi Stadium. Chasing a target of 200 in their debut match, Kingsmen were bowled out for 130.
The Qalandars’ total was built on a commanding opening stand between Mohammad Naeem and Fakhar Zaman, who added 84 runs for the first wicket. The pair set the tone early by scoring 64 in the Powerplay, putting immediate pressure on the opposition. Fakhar led the charge with 53 off 29 deliveries and also became only the second batter to reach 3000 runs in PSL history.
A brief collapse followed as Lahore lost three wickets for 10 runs, but Haseebullah steadied the innings with an unbeaten 40 off 28 balls. He was supported by Sikandar Raza, who struck a quick 24 off 10 deliveries, while Shaheen Afridi added two late sixes to help the side finish on 199 for 6.
Hyderabad Kingsmen began their chase on a steady note but lost both openers within the first four overs. From that point, wickets fell consistently, preventing any sustained recovery. Sikandar Raza and Mustafizur Rahman made key breakthroughs in the middle overs, reducing Kingsmen to 65 for 5. Mustafizur, who was dismissed caught and bowled for 26 off 22 balls, ended as the top scorer for his side.
The lower order offered little resistance as Haris Rauf, Ubaid Shah and Sikandar claimed two wickets each. A late unbeaten 19 from Riley Meredith did little to change the outcome, with Kingsmen falling well short of the target.
Unusual Ball Colour Incident
The match also featured an unusual moment during the Kingsmen innings, when the ball appeared to change colour from white to pink. The incident was reportedly caused by dye from the players’ red jerseys transferring onto the ball, prompting the umpires to take note.
“I did say to the umpires after the second over, ‘What’s going on? The ball is red.’ It must be from the clothes or something like that. I haven’t seen anything like this before,” Labuschagne said after the match.
“I’ve seen occasions where something on a bat comes onto the ball, or when it hits the pad and takes a bit of paint off. But I’ve never seen this happen with clothing. I’m sure they’ll sort it out in the next few games,” he added.
Brief Scores
- Lahore Qalandars: 199/6 (Fakhar 53, Haseebullah 40*; Hassan Khan 2-30)
- Hyderabad Kingsmen: 130 all out (Labuschagne 26; Haris Rauf 2-22)
Lahore Qalandars won by 69 runs.
