Lahore clinch PSL title for the third time, Rishad gets his first

Sikandar Raza was the star of the show as Lahore Qalandars won the Pakistan Super League (PSL) for the third time, beating Quetta Gladiators by six wickets in the final at the Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday. 

However, Bangladesh leg-spinner Rishad Hossain, playing for Lahore in his very first PSL stint, could only pick a single wicket in his four overs, giving away 42 runs, as Lahore restricted Quetta to 201 for nine in 10 overs. 

Rishad did not need to come out to bat, as quickfire forty-plus knocks from Mohammad Naeem and Abdullah Shafique helped Lahore lay the platform before unbeaten knocks from Kusal Perera and  Raza helped them get over the line with a ball to spare.  

Raza hitt the winning runs after only landing back in Lahore minutes prior to the start of the final.

The 39-year old Zimbabwean landed in Lahore just ten minutes before the toss, after scoring a half century in his country's innings defeat in the Nottingham Test against England a day before.

Needing 13 in the last over to complete a 202-run chase set by Quetta, Raza completed the task during his seven-ball 22 not out with two sixes and as many boundaries.

He hit a maximum and a four in the last over to seal the victory with one ball remaining.

Sri Lankan Kusal Perera led the chase with an undefeated 31-ball 62 studded with five boundaries and four sixes, adding 59 runs during the unbroken fifth wicket stand.

Opener Mohammad Naeem scored 46, with half a dozen sixes and one boundary, and Abdullah Shafique hit 41 to set Lahore on course for the highest-ever chase in a PSL final.

Lahore sealed their third title following triumphs in 2022 and 2023.

Raza said it was unbelievable to reach Lahore and achieve success.

"It is unbelievable, batted for 40-odd overs in the Test, flew to Dubai where I had breakfast and then lunch in Abu Dhabi and arrived minutes from the toss, so it's incredible," he said.

Hasan Nawaz scored a brilliant 76 to lift Quetta to 201-9 after they won the toss and batted.

Coming in at 21-2, Nawaz added 67 for the fourth wicket with Avishka Fernando (29) and another 46 with Dinesh Chandimal (22) to steady the ship.

Lahore skipper Shaheen Shah Afridi was the pick of Lahore's bowlers with 3-24.

It was Faheem Ashraf (28) who lifted Quetta past 200, taking 23 off the last Salman Mirza over.

The six-team PSL was suspended on May 9 following the conflict between Pakistan and India.

However, the league resumed on May 17 after a ceasefire between the two countries.