Rawalpindi’s side suffered a seventh straight loss in the Pakistan Super League, going down to Lahore Qalandars by 32 runs on Saturday, April 18. Lahore snapped a three-match losing run with a commanding total in Karachi, and their bowlers then kept Rawalpindi from ever building a serious chase.
Key takeaways
- Lahore Qalandars won by 32 runs, ending a three-game PSL winless streak.
- Openers Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Farooq powered a 121-run partnership that laid the foundation for Lahore’s 210/4.
- Rawalpindi’s chase collapsed after reaching 89/4, with the required rate climbing sharply over the back end of the innings.
- Razaullah’s double breakthrough included the wickets of Abdullah Shafique and Sikandar Raza off consecutive deliveries.
- Haris Rauf played a decisive role in dismissing Daryl Mitchell, who struggled to get going before falling for 11.
- Rawalpindi became the second team in PSL history to lose their opening seven matches of a season, following Karachi Kings in 2022.
Lahore’s 210/4 built on Farooq-Zaman momentum
Rawalpindi endured a rough outing with the ball and fielding, and the damage began early. Lahore posted 210/4 in Karachi, with Farooq and Zaman leading the charge. Their 121-run opening stand provided the platform for a competitive total, and it was only Farooq’s second PSL match.
Rawalpindi initially tried to attack with spin from both ends, but it didn’t produce the control they needed. Asif Afridi and Cole McConchie conceded 66 runs across six overs combined. McConchie had an early escape chance in his first over, creating an opportunity to have Farooq stumped, yet the ball slipped through keeper Sam Billings.
That moment became the first in a series of fielding miscues. Rawalpindi brought Mohammad Amir into the Powerplay to alter the tempo, and Farooq responded immediately by launching a glorious inside-out six over extra cover. The opener’s short-arm hitting continued to frustrate the bowlers, as Lahore powered to 69 without loss after six—46 of those runs coming directly from Farooq’s bat.
Running between the wickets stood out as another feature of the stand, especially notable given the 14-year age gap between the two openers. In the ninth over, Rawalpindi again threatened to break the partnership when Billings dropped a straightforward chance. The frustration was clear in the way the keeper confronted the bowler after four leg-byes followed soon after from a stray delivery.
Amir eventually managed to puncture the stand by bowling a slower ball, and Farooq mistimed one of his trademark drives, holing out to deep mid-wicket. Zaman kept accelerating, with Abdullah Shafique adding momentum as Lahore crossed 150.
Rawalpindi’s fielding problems continued to show the strain of being bottom-ranked. Zaman received a small reprieve in the 17th over, and then PSL debutant Razaullah delivered back-to-back blows, removing Shafique and Sikandar Raza in consecutive balls. A further breakthrough came when Fakhar’s aggressive spell ended—he was caught off Amir as the bowler stood out for his subtle changes in pace and disciplined length.
Even after the wickets, Lahore finished with a statement. Asif Ali struck two sixes off the final pair of deliveries, helping Lahore reach their first 200-plus team score of the season.
Rawalpindi’s chase derailed after early wickets and late breakthroughs
The chase never got properly underway for Rawalpindi. Captain Shaheen Afridi struck in his second over, removing Shahzaib Khan and then Mohammad Rizwan. Rizwan’s dismissal came via an inswinging delivery that was confirmed lbw after a review.
Yasir Khan counter-attacked in the Powerplay and kept Rawalpindi in the hunt, with the side moving past 60 at the end of six overs. Yasir reached his fifty in 24 balls, but Daryl Mitchell struggled for rhythm, managing just 11 off 14 before Haris Rauf removed him.
Billings faced immediate discomfort early as well—an especially well-directed bouncer had the protective helmet gear popping off his head. The situation worsened two balls later when Yasir fell, leaving Rawalpindi at 89/4 and triggering a clear slide.
By the end of the 13th over, Rawalpindi still required 100 runs, and the game effectively moved out of reach. Raza and Usama Mir struck in successive overs, taking Billings and then Dian Forrester in quick order. Billings’s wicket was the 500th scalp in Raza’s T20 career, while Mir dismissed Forrester with a ripping googly that disturbed the off stump.
Saad Masood, coming in at seven, tried to revive the chase with a flurry—he struck nine fours and a six. However, his fifty did not arrive early enough to shift the momentum, and Rawalpindi were left short.
What it means for both teams
With the defeat, Rawalpindi are officially out of the tournament. Lahore, meanwhile, climb to sixth place with six points.
The loss also adds to Rawalpindi’s unwanted record: they became only the second team in PSL history—after Karachi Kings in 2022—to lose their first seven games of a season.
Brief scores
Lahore Qalandars (Fakhar Zaman 84, Mohammad Farooq 63, Mohammad Amir 2-25, Razaullah 2-45) beat Rawalpindiz (Yasir Khan 58, Saad Masood 54, Haris Rauf 3-43, Shaheen Afridi 2-19) by 32 runs.
