Match 1, Rawalpindi, April 11, 2025, 09:00 PM
Lahore Qalandars
139/10(19.2ov)
Islamabad United
143/2(17.4ov)
Islamabad United beat Lahore Qalandars by 8 wickets
Best Batsmen
R
B
4S
6S
SR
Best Bowler
O
R
W
Econ
Man of the Match
Jason Holder
Commentry
That is all from the opening game of the PSL 2025. Hope you enjoyed the coverage. It's time for Super Saturday! Two matches are coming your way. First, Peshawar Zalmi will take on Quetta Gladiators and later, Karachi Kings will face Multan Sultans. That should be a cracker of a game. Join us at 4 pm IST (10.30 am GMT) for the action and as usual, you can join us earlier for the build up. Till then, cheers!
The skipper of Islamabad United, Shadab Khan is up for a chat. Shadab says he is pleased with the execution of the plans as that's the most important thing in T20 cricket. Adds that he is working hard on his bowling and looking to improve even more and make a comeback in the National side on a permanent basis. Reckons that he is hopeful that every member from the national squad gains form from this PSL and that's the ultimate goal for them all.
Jason Holder wins the PLAYER OF THE MATCH AWARD for his superb bowling effort! He says it is a great start, the team have been welcoming and really happy to help the team. Adds they did well to adjust to the conditions. The pacers up front bowled well and that gave them the idea of how the wicket was playing. Reckons he stuck to the process, executing the plans was important and all the bowlers did well. Ends by saying he loved his yorker-deliveries today.
...Presentation...
Shaheen Afridi, the skipper of Lahore Qalandars. He downplays the significance of the toss in their loss, attributing their struggles to the challenges of the first match. He emphasized that his team will strive to improve and perform better in upcoming games. Afridi praised Abdullah Shafique, calling him the future of Pakistan cricket, and commended Asif Afridi's impressive bowling performance. He acknowledged Islamabad United's superiority in the match and expressed his focus on moving forward positively.
Not the start the defending champions were hoping for but still early days into the season and they'll hope to bounce back quickly. Islamabad United have already shown their dominance and could be the early favourites of the season.
Earlier in the day, Shadab Khan made a wise decision to bowl first on this sluggish pitch. Not that it was difficult to bat on but the pacers of Islamabad United gave them a perfect start. The spinners, Shadab Khan and Imad Wasim, controlled the middle phase while Jason Holder cleaned up the tail and ended with a four-fer. For Lahore Qalandars, only Abdullah Shafique showed the intent right throughout the innings. He kept losing partners regularly and eventually, once he fell, it was a procession. Not many positives to take away from a batting point of view apart from Shafique's innings for Lahore Qalandars.
The PSL 2025 is off the mark in a rather one-sided fashion. The defending champions, Lahore Qalandars, have been beaten comprehensively by Islamabad United. They just didn't have a chance to get back in the game while defending the score. They had a decent Powerplay with just one wicket in it. Wickets were crucial with an under-par score to defend but Lahore Qalandars didn't take their chances as Salman Agha was dropped by Haris Rauf when he was on 2 and he eventually went on to put on the match-winning partnership along with Munro, who hit a wonderful fifty to take his team through.
In over# 18
4
1wd
1
0
0
Jahandad Khan 22/0(2.4)
17.4
4
FOUR! A WRAP WITH A BOUNDARY! Short-pitched, around off, Salman Agha stands tall and smashes this up and over cover for a boundary to seal the deal. Islamabad United wins the PSL 2025 opener by 8 wickets and 14 balls to spare.
17.4
1wd
WIDE! Bouncer, wide down the leg, Salman Agha goes for a hook to end the game in some style but misses out. Wided.
17.3
1
On a length around off, Colin Munro punches this away on off for a single. Just 2 needed now to win.
17.2
.
Good length on off, Colin Munro cuts this to point for no run.
17.1
.
On a length wide outside off, Colin Munro slashes hard at it but misses out.
In over# 17
1
6
1
4
1
0
Shaheen Afridi 38/0(4)
16.6
1
Full toss, on middle and leg, Colin Munro pushes this to long on for one.
16.5
6
SIX! TONKED OVER COVER FOR SIX! On a length wide outside off, Colin Munro reaches at it and finds the middle of his bat. The ball has sailed over the fielder at deep cover and lands on the other side of the fence for a huge six.
16.4
1
A single from Agha and Islamabad United now needs 10 to win.
16.3
4
FOUR! A boundary from the bat of Agha and Islamabad United gets even closer to winning this contest. Pitched-up around off, Salman Agha moves to his leg and lofts this over cover for a boundary.