In an unforgettable spectacle at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, all-rounder Sikandar Raza etched his name into the annals of Pakistan cricket history. He crushed a match-winning six, leading the Lahore Qalandars to a glorious triumph over the Quetta Gladiators by six wickets, clinching the coveted Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2025 title.
Raza, whose impressive sporting journey included being part of Zimbabwe’s Test team until just the day before, made a dramatic entrance. He joined the Qalandars’ playing XI merely 10 minutes before the final toss in Pakistan’s bustling eastern metropolis on a charged Sunday evening.
The Pakistan-born cricketer, known for his off-break bowling and solid contributions with the bat in the lower middle order, delivered spectacularly by taking one crucial wicket and smashing an unbeaten 22 runs off seven tantalizing balls. With poised grit and determination, Lahore chased the target of 202, reaching it with only one delivery remaining.
Lahore’s run chase was largely built around Kusal Perera’s 62 runs, with support from top-order batters Mohammad Naeem and Abdullah Shafique, but it was Raza’s whirlwind journey from the United Kingdom to Pakistan and his subsequent role in hitting the winning runs that stole the show and Lahori hearts.
The 39-year-old recounted his last 24 hours by saying he had “dinner in Birmingham, breakfast in Dubai, lunch in Abu Dhabi and flew straight to Lahore for the PSL final”.
Raza bowled 25 overs in the Test on Friday and batted for 20-plus overs on Saturday before leaving for Pakistan.
“To have a victory like this, I just have no words,” he said after the match.
The hosts finished on 204-4 from 19.5 overs to lift their third PSL trophy in four years, making Shaheen Shah Afridi the only captain to win three PSL titles.
Earlier, Quetta posted a formidable total of 201-9 in their 20 overs as young batter Hasan Nawaz scored 76 runs off 43 balls and Faheem Ashraf cracked three sixes and two fours in an innings of 28 off eight balls.
Afridi emerged as the standout bowler for Lahore, skillfully taking 3 wickets for just 24 runs in his impressive four overs.
Perera earned the title of player of the match owing to his crucial innings that kept Lahore fiercely competitive until the last over.
Additionally, Nawaz was honored as the player of the tournament, showcasing exceptional performance by accumulating a remarkable 399 runs throughout the competition.