Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium buzzed with anticipation on April 26 as the Pakistan Super League (PSL) served up a high-stakes showdown between Lahore Qalandars and Multan Sultans. The 16th match of PSL 2025 kicked off with a toss that set the stage for a night of gritty cricket, as Lahore’s captain Shaheen Afridi called it right and opted to bowl first, eyeing early wickets on a pitch known for favoring pace.
Multan Sultans, desperate to claw their way up from the bottom of the points table, rolled out a lineup with a few tweaks. Shai Hope and Akif Javed returned, replacing Tayyab Tahir and Usama Mir, signaling a tactical shift to bolster their batting and bowling depth. Their XI read: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Shai Hope, Yasir Khan, Usman Khan (wicketkeeper), Kamran Ghulam, Michael Bracewell, Iftikhar Ahmed, Ubaid Shah, Muhammad Hasnain, Akif Javed, and Josh Little. Rizwan’s men, stinging from four losses in five games, leaned on Yasir Khan’s recent form at the top and Hope’s experience to steady the ship.
Lahore Qalandars, sitting third with two wins from five matches, made two changes to their squad. Tom Curran and Mohammad Naeem stepped in for Rishad Hossain and Mohammad Azab, aiming to keep their bowling attack sharp and their batting versatile. The Qalandars’ lineup featured Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Naeem, Abdullah Shafique, Daryl Mitchell, Sam Billings (wicketkeeper), Sikandar Raza, Asif Ali, Tom Curran, Shaheen Afridi (captain), Haris Rauf, and Asif Afridi. Shaheen’s decision to field first banked on his pace trio—himself, Rauf, and Curran—to exploit early swing under the Lahore lights.
The context couldn’t be spicier. Multan, fresh off a 33-run win over Lahore in their April 22 clash in Multan, had a psychological edge. That game saw Yasir Khan’s blistering 87 off 44 balls power Sultans to 228, a total Lahore couldn’t chase despite Sikandar Raza’s unbeaten 50. Now, in Lahore’s backyard, the Qalandars were hungry to flip the script, especially after a recent loss to Peshawar Zalmi exposed cracks in their batting. Multan, meanwhile, knew another slip could bury their playoff hopes.
As the match began, the stadium roared, with fans packed in tight, waving flags and chanting for their heroes. The pitch, expected to offer bounce and carry, promised a battle between Lahore’s fiery bowlers and Multan’s aggressive batsmen. With both teams coming off defeats—Lahore to Zalmi and Multan struggling all season—the stakes were sky-high.
Lahore Qalandars’ XI: Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Naeem, Abdullah Shafique, Daryl Mitchell, Sam Billings (wicketkeeper), Sikandar Raza, Asif Ali, Tom Curran, Shaheen Afridi (captain), Haris Rauf, Asif Afridi. Multan Sultans’ XI: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Shai Hope, Yasir Khan, Usman Khan (wicketkeeper), Kamran Ghulam, Michael Bracewell, Iftikhar Ahmed, Ubaid Shah, Muhammad Hasnain, Akif Javed, Josh Little. Toss: Lahore Qalandars won and elected to bowl first. Match date: April 26, 2025. Venue: Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.