Fakhar, Mitchell, Shaheen Shine as Lahore Qalandars Dominate Karachi Kings in PSL Clash

Lahore Qalandars produced a commanding all-round performance to dismantle arch-rivals Karachi Kings by 65 runs in a one-sided encounter dubbed the "El Clasico" of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) at the National Stadium in Karachi.

Batting first after winning the toss, Lahore posted an imposing 201 for 6, thanks largely to a stellar 125-run partnership between Fakhar Zaman and Daryl Mitchell. Despite early losses of Abdullah Shafique and Mohammad Naeem inside the powerplay, the Qalandars' innings found stability and aggression in the Fakhar-Mitchell duo.

Fakhar, who was dropped early by James Vince, capitalized on his lifeline and went on to smash 76 runs, which included three sixes in a single over off Khushdil Shah. Mitchell complemented him brilliantly with a fluent 75, punishing Abbas Afridi in particular during the middle overs. A late surge from Sam Billings (19 off 10) and a brief cameo by Sikandar Raza helped Lahore breach the 200-run mark.

Karachi Kings' Hasan Ali stood out with the ball, claiming 4 for 28, while Adam Milne delivered a tidy spell despite going wicketless.

In response, Kings faltered right from the start under the lights and on a pitch offering some assistance to the bowlers. Qalandars’ captain Shaheen Shah Afridi struck a double blow in the very first over, dismissing David Warner and James Vince—Kings’ main batting threats. Vince, fresh from a century in the last match, was bowled for a duck.

From there, the Kings never quite recovered. Tim Seifert and Shan Masood tried to rebuild but were undone by reverse sweeps—Seifert falling to Asif Afridi and Masood to Rishad Hossain. Wickets continued to tumble at regular intervals, with Khushdil Shah’s 39 being the lone highlight in a dismal batting effort.

The Kings were eventually bowled out for 136, handing Qalandars a comprehensive victory and a significant boost in net run rate. Shaheen and Rishad Hossain claimed three wickets apiece, while the rest of the Lahore attack shared the spoils.

The result reinforced Qalandars’ reputation as one of the most formidable sides in the league, while Karachi Kings will be left to reflect on a missed opportunity in front of their home crowd.

Score Summary:
Lahore Qalandars: 201/6 (Fakhar 76, Mitchell 75, Hasan Ali 4-28)
Karachi Kings: 136 all out (Khushdil 39, Hossain 3-26, Shaheen 3-34)
Result: Lahore Qalandars won by 65 runs.