LAHORE: Lahore Qalandars won the toss and elected to bat first against Islamabad United in the Eliminator 2 of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10 at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore on Friday.
Both teams, with two and three PSL titles respectively, are all fired up to secure a place in the final against Quetta Gladiators on May 25.
Since the PSL’s inception in 2016, these rivals have met 21 times.
Islamabad United hold a slight edge with 11 wins, while Lahore Qalandars have claimed victory 10 times.
Islamabad United’s batting lineup is brimming with aggressive talent. Colin Munro, Rassie van der Dussen and Sahibzada Farhan have been tormenting bowlers all season.
Sahibzada, in particular, is in red-hot form, topping PSL 10 charts with 446 runs from 11 matches at an impressive average of 40.54 and a strike rate of 153.79, including three fifties and a century.
He also leads the 2025 T20 format with 1,051 runs in 18 matches at an astonishing average of 65.68 and strike rate of 172.57.
The spin duo of Shadab Khan and Imad Wasim has been pivotal for United’s bowling attack, claiming 14 and 13 wickets respectively in the tournament.
Shadab boasts a formidable record against Lahore Qalandars with 22 wickets and 313 runs with the bat in PSL history. Colin Munro has also been dangerous against Qalandars, scoring 213 runs.
For Lahore Qalandars, opener Fakhar Zaman is a key threat. He ranks second in PSL 10 run-scoring charts with 416 runs in 11 games at a strike rate of 156.39, including four fifties.
The left-handed batter has an outstanding record against United, amassing 498 runs with a top score of 115.
On the bowling front, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi and Zaman Khan form a potent trio. Rauf and Shaheen share the joint-best wickets tally against United with 15 each, followed closely by Zaman with 13 wickets.
Another player to keep an eye on is Abdullah Shafique, who impressed with a blistering 65 off 35 balls in the must-win Eliminator against Karachi Kings.
He has accumulated 324 runs in 11 games at a strike rate of 153.55, including three half-centuries.
Squads
Lahore Qalandars: Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Shakib Al Hasan, Fakhar Zaman, Kusal Perera, Haris Rauf, Sikandar Raza, Abdullah Shafique, Zaman Khan, Jahandad Khan, Asif Afridi, Asif Ali, Muhammad Akhlaq, Momin Qamar (E), Mohammad Azab (E), Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Salman Mirza, Mohammad Naeem (E).
Islamabad United: Shadab Khan and Naseem Shah (both platinum), Azam Khan and Imad Wasim (both diamond), Haider Ali, Salman Ali Agha and Ben Dwarshuis (all gold), Rumman Raees, Mohammad Nawaz and Salman Irshad (all silver), Hunain Shah and Saad Masood (both emerging), Mohammad Faiq, Sahibzada Farhan, Muhammad Shahzad, Alex Hales, Rassie van der Dussen, James Neesham, Tymal Mills and Riley Meredith (all supplementary).
