Fakhar, Raza star as Qalandars fly-high in HBL PSL 2026 opener

It was a rousing performance, with Lahore Qalandars putting on a complete team show to defeat the newly added HBL PSL franchise Hyderabad Kingsmen by 69 runs, kicking off this year’s campaign in grand style at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Thursday night.

The architect behind that one-sided victory was Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza, who was explosive with the bat, scoring 24 off just 10 balls, impeccable with the ball with two crucial wickets, and trailblazing in the field with a stunning direct-hit run-out of Akif Javed.

Meanwhile, man of the match Fakhar Zaman scored 53 in the first innings, helping Qalandars post an imposing 199-run total on a surface that offered some assistance to bowlers, as he also reached the 3000-run mark in HBL PSL during his 39-ball knock.

While defending the target, all Qalandars’ bowlers shone on a pitch with carry and bounce. Shaheen Afridi set the tone by removing Usman Khan for nine in the third over, and the Kingsmen batting never settled, losing wickets at regular intervals.

In the next over, Ubaid Shah removed Saim Ayub for 17, while Raza removed Kusal Perera, leaving Kingsmen tottering at 49-3 in 6.2 overs. It was Riley Meredith who scored 19 not out as Kingsmen were all out for 130 in 20 overs.

Kingsmen skipper Marnus Labuschagne showed some solidity, scoring 26 before snipping a catch to Raza on his bowling. His departure left his team 65-5.

For the Qalandars, Haris Rauf, Sikandar Raza and Ubaid Shah bagged two wickets each, while Mustafizur Rahman and captain Shaheen Shah Afridi chipped in with one scalp apiece.

First Innings

Batting first, Qalandars scored 199 courtesy of Shaheen Afridi’s back-to-back sixes in the last two balls after Fakhar Zaman laid the foundation with a gritty 53-run knock off 39 balls.

On a surface that has assistance for the bowlers, Haseebullah Khan scored 40 not out, and Sikandar Raza contributed a quick-fire 24 off 10 balls.

In the first two overs, Hyderabad Kingsmen pacers Riley Meredith and Akif Javed got good carry and found Qalandars batters wanting before the openers started striking boundaries from the third over.

Mohammad Naeem scored 30 off 19 balls with one six and four fours, before spinner the 84-run opening stand in the ninth over.

After Naeem’s dismissal, the current PSL champions lost the momentum somewhat, with Abdullah Shafique getting run out while Fakhar handed the catch to Saim Ayub at deep midwicket in the next over.

During his knock, which had 10 fours, Fakhar also achieved 3000 runs in HBL PSL history, becoming the second batter after Babar Azam, who stands with 3792 runs.

However, Haseebullah kept the innings steady, which allowed Sikandar Raza to unleash a blistering attack, smashing 24 off just 10 deliveries with four fours and two sixes.

In the final over, Asif Ali smashed a six on the second ball but was clean bowled two deliveries later by a pinpoint yorker from Mohammad Ali.

Shaheen Shah Afridi then finished the innings in style, hitting two consecutive sixes, one over the bowler’s head and the other towards long-on.