Lahore Qalandars off to a flying start

Lahore Qalandars on Thursday secured a dominant 69-run victory over Hyderabad Kingsmen in the opening match of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at Gaddafi Stadium. After opting to bat first, Qalandars posted a formidable total of 199/6 in their allotted 20 overs, powered by a solid top-order performance and late acceleration. Fakhar Zaman led the charge with a fluent 53 off 39 balls, striking 10 boundaries, while Mohammad Naeem provided early momentum with a quickfire 30 off 19 deliveries. The innings maintained steady progress despite a brief middle-order slowdown. Haseebullah Khan anchored the latter stages with an unbeaten 40 off 28 balls, while Sikandar Raza added impetus with a blistering 24 off just 10 balls. Captain Shaheen Shah Afridi provided a late flourish, smashing 12 runs off only two deliveries to push the total close to the 200 mark. In reply, Kingsmen struggled to build momentum and were bowled out for 130 in 20 overs, falling well short of the target. Marnus Labuschagne top-scored for the Kingsmen with 26 off 22 balls, while Riley Meredith remained unbeaten on 19. However, the batting line-up failed to form meaningful partnerships as wickets fell at regular intervals. The Qalandars' bowling attack proved disciplined and effective, with Ubaid Shah, Sikandar Raza, and Haris Rauf picking up two wickets each. Mustafizur Rahman and Shaheen Afridi also contributed with a wicket apiece to maintain pressure throughout the innings. Fakhar Zaman was awarded Player of the Match. This time, the HBL PSL 11 is being played without spectators due to ongoing austerity measures amid the regional situation. Under the revised plan, the tournament will be staged in only two cities, Karachi and Lahore, while the opening ceremony was also cancelled. Lahore Qalandars XI: Mohammad Naeem, Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique, Parvez Hossain Emon, Haseebullah Khan (WK), Sikandar Raza, Asif Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi (C), Haris Rauf, Mustafizur Rahman, Ubaid Shah. Hyderabad Kingsmen XI: Saim Ayub, Usman Khan (WK), Marnus Labuschagne (C), Kusal Perera, Irfan Niazi, Rizwan Mehmood, Hassan Khan, Hammad Azam, Riley Meredith, Mohammad Ali, Akif Javed.