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LAHORE - You could almost hear the steam coming out of Wasim Akram's ears on Thursday. The legendary Pakistan pacer was absolutely furious and didn't pull any punches while criticizing Lahore Qalandars' shocking fielding during their Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10 Eliminator clash against Karachi Kings at the Gaddafi Stadium.
What set Akram off? Well, the Qalandars' fielders, including usually reliable names like Haris Rauf and Mohammad Naeem, gifted David Warner a couple of extra lives by dropping what looked like straightforward catches. This allowed the veteran Aussie batsman to make them pay.
Live on commentary, the former Pakistan captain was livid. "What’s going on?" he fumed. "This is not acceptable. This isn’t even club cricket standard right now. Misfields, poor throws — they’re looking lethargic, laid-back, and lazy." You could tell he was genuinely incensed by the sloppy display.
But here's the kicker: despite looking like they were trying their best to lose the match with their fielding, the Qalandars somehow pulled off a commanding six-wicket victory over their arch-rivals, Karachi Kings, sending them packing from the tournament. A solid team effort with the ball and a sensational half-century from Abdullah Shafique ultimately saved their blushes.
Chasing a pretty hefty target of 191, the Qalandars made it look relatively easy. They got there with four wickets down and eight balls still left in the tank.
Openers Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Naeem got them off to a decent flyer, putting on 42 runs before Naeem (14 off 12) holed out to Hasan Ali. Fakhar Zaman kept the aggression going with a quickfire 47 from 28 balls, packed with five boundaries and three sixes. After he departed, Abdullah Shafique stepped up and played a blinder, smashing 65 runs off just 35 deliveries (three fours, five sixes) to take control of the chase. He also shared a crucial 83-run stand with Kusal Perera, who chipped in with a handy 30 off 24 balls.
Earlier, after choosing to bat first in this do-or-die match, the Kings had managed to post 190 for 8. Their skipper, David Warner, was the standout performer, making 75 off 52 balls, an innings that included eight fours and three sixes – a knock undoubtedly helped by those dropped catches.
With this win, Lahore Qalandars now advance to Eliminator 2. They'll be up against the defending champions, Islamabad United, on Friday at the same venue. The winner of that high-stakes encounter will earn the right to face Quetta Gladiators in the Grand Final on May 25th.
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