Review of PSL 2025, Match 6: Fakhar and Shaheen shine in Qalandars’ decisive victory over Kings

Lahore Qalandars defeated Karachi Kings by 65 runs in Karachi on April 15, 2025, making the Pakistan Super League (PSL) match a one-sided contest.

The reigning champions recorded a resounding victory thanks to a dominant performance with the bat and the ball, which significantly increased their net run-rate.

After winning the toss, Lahore chose to bat first, but they were injured right away as Mohammad Naeem and Abdullah Shafique fell inside the powerplay. Daryl Mitchell and Fakhar Zaman then put up an incredible 125-run partnership for the third wicket, punishing Karachi’s bowlers all over the pitch. Mitchell hit 75 off 41 balls, while Fakhar, who was dropped early by James Vince, made the Kings pay a heavy price by smashing 76 off 47 balls.

By the fifteenth over, the two had reduced Qalandars to 150/2. Sam Billings (19 off 10) and Sikandar Raza (10* off 5) made late appearances to guarantee Lahore reached the 200-run milestone, concluding at 201/6. With four wickets, Hasan Ali was the Kings’ best bowler, but the rest of the attack did not provide much assistance.

In response, Shaheen Shah Afridi gave a blistering opening burst that shocked Karachi. In his opening over, the Lahore captain hit twice, dismissing Vince and David Warner without adding a run to the total. Shan Masood and Tim Seifert fell quickly after attempting to steady the innings.

Masood, Irfan Khan, and Abbas Afridi were among the three wickets that Rishad Hossain took as he swept through the middle order. Raza contributed two scalps, eliminating Adam Milne and Arafat Minhas, while Haris Rauf removed the menacing-looking Khushdil Shah.

When faced with Lahore’s bowling squad, Karachi, who had already chased down a comparable total against Multan earlier in the season, were completely lost. While the hosts were bowled out on 136 in 19.1 overs, only Khushdil (39 off 27) and Hasan Ali (27 off 25) showed any resistance. Zaman won Player of the Match for his pivotal knock, while Shaheen came back to finish with numbers of 3/34.