A dominant all-round performance helped Lahore Qalandars secure a convincing 69-run victory over Hyderabad Kingsmen in a thrilling match of the Pakistan Super League 2026 at Gaddafi Stadium. After setting a strong total of 199/6, the Qalandars delivered an outstanding bowling display to bowl out their opponents for just 130.
Winning the toss, Lahore chose to bat first and got off to a flying start. Openers Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Naeem built a solid partnership, reaching 64 runs without loss during the powerplay. Fakhar looked in great touch and led the scoring with aggressive shots.
However, the momentum slowed after Hassan Khan broke the opening stand by dismissing Naeem. Soon after, a mix-up led to the run-out of Abdullah Shafique, putting Lahore under pressure. Hassan Khan struck again, removing Fakhar Zaman after his well-made half-century.
The innings was then stabilized by Haseebullah Khan and Sikandar Raza, who added important runs in the middle overs. Haseebullah played attacking shots, while Raza contributed valuable boundaries. Despite tight bowling from Riley Meredith, Lahore finished strongly.
In the final over, Asif Ali hit a six before getting out, while captain Shaheen Shah Afridi smashed two back-to-back sixes. The last over, bowled by Mohammad Ali, conceded 22 runs, helping Lahore reach 199/6.
An unusual moment occurred during the first innings when the white ball began turning pink under lights, forcing umpires to replace it later in the game.
Chasing 200, Hyderabad struggled from the start. Lahore’s bowlers dominated the powerplay, taking three early wickets. Sikandar Raza once again proved his value by taking 2 wickets for 27 runs, putting further pressure on the batting side.
The Kingsmen never recovered from the early blows and were eventually bowled out for 130 on the final ball of the match. The comfortable victory gives Lahore Qalandars a strong start in the tournament and boosts their confidence for upcoming matches.