Cricket Highlights, May 25: PSL 2025 (Final Match) – QG vs LQ

QG vs LQ (Final Match) – Highlights

Ah, the grand finale of the Pakistan Super League 2025 at Lahore was nothing short of a rollercoaster, a cricketing spectacle that kept fans glued till the very last ball. The Quetta Gladiators and Lahore Qalandars faced off in a high-octane clash that perfectly showcased why PSL is among the most thrilling T20 leagues in the world. The Qalandars eventually triumphed by 6 wickets with just one ball to spare, chasing down a challenging target of 202 runs set by the Gladiators.

The Gladiators, batting first, launched their innings with mixed fortunes. Their captain Saud Shakeel had a quiet start, dismissed cheaply by Shaheen Shah Afridi, setting an early tone that wickets would be falling at regular intervals. Despite this shaky start, Quetta’s middle order roared to life thanks to Hasan Nawaz, who was the star of the innings with a powerful 76 off 43 balls. 

His eight boundaries and four sixes kept the scoreboard ticking and injected much-needed momentum. Rilee Rossouw also made a quickfire contribution with 22 runs off just 11 balls, ensuring the Gladiators maintained a competitive run rate. The Gladiators’ innings was peppered with moments of brilliance and flashes of acceleration, particularly from Faheem Ashraf, who exploded with 28 runs off a mere 8 balls, including three towering sixes.

Shaheen Shah Afridi was the spearhead for the Qalandars, delivering a disciplined spell and picking up three crucial wickets. His pace and precision under pressure played a key role in restricting the Gladiators to a challenging but chaseable 201. Other bowlers like Haris Rauf and Salman Mirza chipped in with wickets, but the Gladiators’ total was always going to test the Qalandars’ batting depth.

Chasing 202, Lahore Qalandars started steadily but lost Fakhar Zaman early, bowled out for 11. This could have been a huge psychological blow, but the Qalandars’ batting lineup showed remarkable resilience. Mohammad Naeem steadied the ship with a blazing 46 off 27 balls, hammering one six and a boundary with authority. 

His partnership with Abdullah Shafique, who contributed a vital 41 runs, laid a solid foundation for the chase. However, the spotlight belonged to Kusal Perera, the Player of the Match, whose unbeaten 62 off 31 balls was a masterclass in aggressive yet controlled batting. His five boundaries and four sixes turned the tide completely.

Perera’s fearless stroke play alongside Sikandar Raza, who smashed a quick 22 off just 7 balls, propelled the Qalandars to a nail-biting finish. The innings was perfectly paced, with timely boundaries and calculated aggression ensuring that the target was met with just one ball to spare. The win crowned the Qalandars as champions, wrapping up a season where they showed consistency and flair in their gameplay.

Hasan Nawaz’s performance throughout the tournament earned him the Player of the Series title, amassing an impressive 399 runs. His ability to dominate bowling attacks and score at a rapid pace was crucial to the Gladiators’ journey to the final.

Quetta Gladiators vs Lahore Qalandars Scoreboard

Quetta Gladiators – 201/9

Lahore Qalandars – (19.5/20) 204/4

Result – Qalandars won by 6 wickets (with 1 ball remaining)

Player of the Match – Kusal Perera

QG vs LQ Playing XIs

Quetta Gladiators

Saud Shakeel (c), Finn Allen, Rilee Rossouw, Hasan Nawaz, Avishka Fernando, Dinesh Chandimal (wk), Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Amir, Abrar Ahmed, Khurram Shahzad, Usman Tariq

Lahore Qalandars

Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Naeem, Abdullah Shafique, Kusal Perera (wk), Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Sikandar Raza, Muhammad Akhlaq, Rishad Hossain, Haris Rauf, Salman Mirza

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