There’s no way out for Rawalpindiz. They just can’t find a way or method to get out of the pit they have fallen into in their debut HBL PSL season.
On Saturday night, they slumped to their seventh successive defeat in PSL 2026 as Lahore Qalandars got back into the winning fold, defeating them by 32 runs, riding on Fakhar Zaman’s 84 and an all-round contribution from the bowlers at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi.
When Fakhar stands up for the Qalandars with the bat, they tend to win and he showed it in no uncertain terms, smashing a sensational 84 off 54 balls with 11 fours and a six, while the 22-year-old Mohammad Farooq laced a breathtaking 63 off 41 to help the defending champions post a competitive 210.
And for a side like the Pindiz, which has looked hapless in all facets over the course of their debut season, the game was well and truly over once the Qalandars posted a total above 200 on Karachi’s slower surface.
In reply, the Mohammad Rizwan-led side looked unable to learn from their previous failures, as two wickets from Shaheen Afridi in the third over reduced them to 17 for 2.
The Qalandars skipper first removed Shahzaib Khan and then dismissed captain Rizwan two balls later, trapping him LBW with a sharp inswinging yorker.
Daryl Mitchell and Yasir Khan then steadied the innings with a vital partnership, taking the total past the 50-run mark. The pair added 50 runs together, with Yasir taking the aggressive route and bringing up his fourth PSL half-century.
Yasir, who smashed 58 off just 29 balls with six fours and three sixes, kept Rawalpindiz in the hunt until the ninth over. However, Mitchell struggled to find rhythm and was dismissed for a laboured 11 off 15 balls by Haris Rauf, ending their 71-run stand and leaving the side at 88-3.
Rauf struck again in the same over, removing Yasir after his impressive knock, further denting Rawalpindiz’s chase.
Sam Billings and Dian Forrester tried to rebuild and pushed the score past 100, but Sikandar Raza broke the partnership, having Billings stumped for seven.
The wickets kept tumbling as Usama Mir joined the attack, dismissing Forrester for eight and reducing Rawalpindiz to 110-6 in 12.5 overs.
Usama struck again soon after, removing Colin McConchie for three, while Daniel Sams got rid of Razaullah for five to pile on the pressure.
Saad Masood showed resistance with a fighting knock, taking the total beyond 150 and registering his maiden PSL half-century.
In the final over, Haris Rauf claimed his third wicket by ending Saad’s impressive innings of 54 off 26 balls, which included nine fours and a six, while Asif Afridi managed a boundary off the last ball.
For Lahore Qalandars, Haris led the attack with three wickets, Shaheen Afridi and Usama Mir picked up two each, while Daniel Sams and Sikandar Raza chipped in with one apiece.
Fakhar, Farooq onslaught
Lahore Qalandars posted a strong total of 210-4 in their 20 overs after being asked to bat first, thanks to impressive knocks from openers Mohammad Farooq and Fakhar Zaman.
The pair started confidently, finding boundaries at regular intervals, with Farooq taking the lead as the runs came quickly and the score raced past 50 inside the powerplay.
The duo dominated the bowling attack and continued to pile on runs, raising a superb 100-run partnership as they set the platform for a big total.
Their 121-run stand was eventually broken in the 11th over when Mohammad Amir dismissed Farooq, who played a brilliant knock of 63 off 41 balls, including five fours and five sixes.
Fakhar kept the momentum going, taking the total past 150, as he also found good support in Abdullah Shafique, with the pair adding another crucial 50-run stand.
However, Razaullah broke the partnership by dismissing Abdullah, who contributed a handy 26 off 18 balls with one four and two sixes. He then struck again to remove Sikandar Raza for a first-ball duck, leaving Qalandars at 191-3 after 18 overs.
Qalandars lost their fourth wicket in the 19th over when Amir returned to dismiss Fakhar after his outstanding 84 off 54 deliveries, which included 11 fours and a six.
In the final over, Charith Asalanka and Asif Ali provided a strong finish. Asif smashed two consecutive sixes to take the total beyond 200, remaining unbeaten on 14 off six balls, while Asalanka chipped in with a single.
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