Lahore Qalandars made history on Sunday by setting a record for the highest successful run chase in a T20 final. With one ball to spare, the Qalandars chased down a massive target of 202 runs in the PSL 10 final, played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
They became the first team in T20 cricket history to chase over 200 runs in a final, breaking the previous record set by Kolkata Knight Riders, who had chased 200 runs against Kings XI Punjab in the 2014 IPL final.
Meanwhile, Quetta Gladiators set an unwanted record by becoming the first team to lose a T20 final despite scoring 200 or more runs.
Shaheen Afridi: PSL’s Most Successful Captain
Shaheen Afridi celebrated becoming the most successful captain in PSL history, surpassing all others by winning his third PSL title.
Here’s a breakdown of title-winning PSL captains:
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Shaheen Afridi — 3 titles
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Misbah-ul-Haq (Islamabad United) — 1
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Darren Sammy (Peshawar Zalmi) — 1
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JP Duminy (Islamabad United) — 1
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Sarfaraz Ahmed (Quetta Gladiators) — 1
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Shadab Khan (Islamabad United) — 1
(Note: The lines about Mohammad Rizwan and Imad Wasim were unclear and not relevant to the captaincy comparison. They’ve been removed or revised for clarity.)
The Final Thriller
The final was a whirlwind of emotions. Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza, who had just returned from England after playing a Test match in Nottingham, played a crucial late role. Raza scored 22 not out from 13 balls, hitting two sixes and two fours.
With 13 runs needed in the final over, Raza stepped up, smashing a six and a four to seal the win and spark wild celebrations.
Earlier, Sri Lankan veteran Kusal Perera kick-started the chase with a blazing 62 off 31 balls, hitting five fours and four sixes. He shared a key unbeaten 59-run partnership with Raza to close the match.
Quetta Gladiators, batting first, had looked in control after posting 201-9, thanks largely to Hasan Nawaz’s 76. Nawaz stabilized the innings after an early slump (21-2), building partnerships of 67 runs with Fernando and 46 with Chandimal.
For Lahore, Shaheen Afridi again led from the front with 3 wickets for 24 runs. Although Faheem Ashraf blasted 23 off the final over bowled by Salman Mirza, it wasn’t enough to prevent Lahore from securing the win.
Historic Victory for Lahore Qalandars
This victory not only gave Lahore Qalandars their third PSL trophy, but also showed what is possible in modern T20 cricket—big records, powerful batting, and exceptional leadership.
