Lahore Qalandars Outclass Karachi Kings in a Heated Rivalry Eliminator

Lahore Qalandars have knocked arch-rivals Karachi Kings out of PSL X in emphatic fashion,  clinching a 6-wicket win in the Eliminator match at Gaddafi Stadium. Powered by a stunning 65-run knock from Abdullah Shafique and a strong all-round effort, Lahore now face Islamabad United in Qualifier 2. The winner will battle Quetta Gladiators in the final on Sunday, May 25.

Toss and Playing XI
Karachi Kings won the toss and skipper David Warner chose to bat first on a flat Lahore surface. The Kings made one change with Fawad Ali replacing Aamer Jamal, while Lahore brought in Bhanuka Rajapaksa for Sikandar Raza.

Karachi Kings XI: David Warner (C), Tim Seifert, James Vince, Khushdil Shah, Irfan Khan, Hassan Ali, Mir Hamza, Shoaib Malik, Zahid Mahmood, Fawad Ali, Muhammad Amir

Lahore Qalandars XI: Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Naeem, Abdullah Shafique, Kusal Perera (wk), Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Shakib Al Hasan, Asif Ali, Shaheen Afridi (C), Salman Mirza, Zaman Khan, Haris Rauf

Warner Fights Alone as Kings Falter Under Pressure
Karachi got off to a decent start with Warner and Seifert attacking early. Seifert departed for 22 after edging to Asif Ali off Shaheen Shah Afridi, with the score at 43. Despite wickets tumbling at the other end, Warner held his ground, anchoring the innings with a superb 75 off 52 balls, including 8 fours and 3 sixes.

Khushdil Shah’s late cameo of 27* off 14 gave Karachi some hope as they posted 190/7 in 20 overs. Haris Rauf was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3 wickets for 35 runs, while Shaheen claimed 2. Despite some sloppy fielding, Lahore managed to restrict Karachi below 200.

Shafique’s Blazing Knock Powers Lahore to a Clinical Chase
Lahore’s chase began with a brief hiccup as Mohammad Naeem fell cheaply for 14. But Fakhar Zaman counter-attacked in style, blasting 47 off 29 before falling with the score at 89. The real damage came from Abdullah Shafique, who unleashed a brutal 65 off 35 balls, tearing through the Kings’ bowling attack.

Kusal Perera chipped in with a composed 30, and Rajapaksa put the final nail in the coffin with a powerful six to finish the match in the 19th over. Lahore reached 191/4 in 18.4 overs, securing a dominant 6-wicket win.

Hassan Ali picked up 2 wickets for Karachi but lacked support from the rest of the bowling unit. Mir Hamza and Fawad Ali managed one wicket each.

Player of the Match
Abdullah Shafique was named Player of the Match for his explosive knock of 65, which proved to be the difference in a high-stakes encounter.

With this win, Lahore keep their title hopes alive and will now face Islamabad United in Qualifier 2, a shot at redemption and a place in the final against Quetta Gladiators.