It was a riveting HBL PSL 2026 derby encounter between Lahore Qalandars and Karachi Kings as a four and a six from Abbas Afridi in the final over helped the latter secure a four-wicket win in what turned out to be a controversy-marred contest at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
The low-scoring game went down to the wire as Shaheen Afridi’s four-wicket haul in a searing pace bowling display kept the Qalandars in the contest while defending a modest 129-run target.
However, the final over was delayed as the on-field umpires examined the ball and determined its condition had been altered, resulting in a five-run penalty for the Qalandars and leaving the Kings with nine runs to chase in the last over.
Bowling the final over, Haris Rauf struck on the first ball dismissing Khushdil Shah for 13, but Abbas Afridi kept his composure and sealed the win for Karachi Kings with a four and a six off the next two deliveries.
The Kings had earlier stumbled in the chase as captain David Warner and Salman Ali Agha were both bowled by Shaheen Shah Afridi in the third over with just 10 runs on the board.
Opener Muhammad Waseem steadied the innings with a gritty 38 off 37 balls, sharing useful partnerships with Saad Baig (19) and Moeen Ali (18) before falling to Shaheen in the 15th over, leaving the Kings at 88-5.
Khushdil Shah and Azam Khan then added 32 runs for the sixth wicket to bring the equation down to 14 required from the final over before Abbas Afridi’s late blows carried Karachi over the line.
For Lahore Qalandars, Shaheen was the standout bowler with figures of 4/18, while Mustafizur Rahman and Haris Rauf picked up one wicket each.
Kings’ splendid bowling show
Bowling first, the Kings restricted the Qalandars to 128 for the loss of nine wickets in 20 overs, with Adam Zampa emerging as the standout performer with impressive figures of 2-11.
The home side suffered an early blow as Fakhar Zaman departed with just three runs on the board, stumped off Moeen Ali on the fourth ball of the innings.
Following the early setback, Abdullah Shafique joined opener Mohammad Naeem (13) at the crease and the pair added 25 runs for the second wicket before Mir Hamza removed Naeem with a caught-and-bowled dismissal in the fourth over.
Shafique, the top scorer for Lahore with 33 runs, then stitched a 28-run stand for the third wicket with Parvez Hossain Emon, but the pair fell in consecutive overs, leaving Qalandars struggling at 62-4.
Wicketkeeper-batter Haseebullah Khan later joined Sikandar Raza (19) and the duo attempted to steady the innings with a 43-run partnership for the fifth wicket before Abbas Afridi dismissed Raza in the 15th over.
The Qalandars’ woes continued as they lost skipper Shaheen Afridi and Usama Mir in quick succession with the scoreboard reading 119 for the loss of seven wickets.
For the Kings, Zampa, Hamza and Moeen claimed two wickets each, while Hasan Ali, Salman Ali Agha and Abbas Afridi picked up one apiece.
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