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Lahore Qalandars 210 for 4 (Fakhar 84, Farooq 63, Amir 2-25) beat Rawalpindiz 178 for 9 (Yasir 58, Masood 54, Rauf 3-43, Shaheen 2-19) by 32 runs
It has been a difficult PSL 2026 for Lahore Qalandars, but nothing boosts confidence at the tournament as much as a game against Rawalpindiz. Despite this being a game of sides ranked seventh and eighth, the last two positions on the table, the gulf between Rawalpindiz at the bottom and everyone else is substantial. Substantial enough for Qalandars to sweep aside Mohammad Rizwan’s side by 32 runs to end a three-game losing streak, and haul themselves up to six points alongside three other teams.
It was a welcome return to form for Fakhar Zaman, who bludgeoned his way to 84 off 54 balls, that put up 210 for Qalandars – their highest score this season. Shaheen Shah Afridi and the rest of the bowling attack was clinical enough for a listless Rawalpindiz response that, Yasir Khan’s half-century aside, was over before it began. So, it could be said, is Rawalpindiz’s campaign, as mathematically, they are the first side to go out of the competition.
Rawalpindiz lost the toss again, but Qalandars opted to bat first in contravention to prevailing trends this year. They made good on their decision with a remarkable innings from Mohammad Farooq in the powerplay. Farooq used the short-arm jab effectively to clear the infield time and again. It got Qalandars off to the start they wanted while a rusty Fakhar took his time to settle, keeping the pressure cranked up on a threadbare bowling line-up that required 13 of its overs to be bowled by Cole McConchie, Razaullah, Saad Masood and Daryl Mitchell.
But Fakhar, too, was getting ready to join in. Perhaps surprisingly, he hadn’t hit a single six in this PSL yet. He didn’t move the needle much on Saturday, getting just the one, but found 11 boundaries to go with it, sticking around till the end of the 19th over to push Qalandars past 200.
Rawalpindiz switched their opening combination again, this time bringing in 20-year old Shahzaib Khan to pad up alongside Rizwan. But both were gone inside three balls of Shaheen’s second over, with neither pushing up to double figures – a recurring disastrous trend among plenty for Rawalpindiz over the course of the season.
But Yasir Khan lifted their hopes, and kept the side in the game with a splendid counterattacking knock over the remainder of the powerplay and through the first ten overs. It was a throwback to the Yasir of the first game this year, when he scored 83, and the flashes of brilliance he showed in 2025, as he powered his way to 58 off 29 balls to keep his side within touching distance of the asking rate.
But Yasir needed support, and none was forthcoming. Across his 71-run partnership with Mitchell, the out-of-form New Zealand batter contributed just 11 off 15 balls. The breaking of that stand saw six wickets fall for 46 runs as Haris Rauf, Usama Mir and Sikandar Raza ran riot.
The result was made to look less lopsided than it was by a late flurry from Saad Masood, who capitalised on a sharp drop in intensity from Qalandars to pummel his way to a 21-ball 50. By then, though, the game was gone, and Qalandars appeared not to mind how much they won by. That they would win never appeared in Rawalpindiz’s control to challenge.
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