Islamabad United have been on an incredible run, their batsmen scoring with ease and bowlers dominating oppositions. Islamabad United are led by Naseem Shah’s thunderbolts, Riley Meredith’s crafty variations and Haris Rauf’s raw pace that should make life difficult for Lahore Qalandars on Gaddafi Stadium’s pitch.
But the hosts have shown signs of life, with Fakhar Zaman, Sam Billings and Sikandar Raza performing admirably in the Lahore Qalandars vs Islamabad United match scorecard.
| Date | Match / Venue | Result / Scorecard |
|---|---|---|
| 23 May 2025 | Qualifier 2, Lahore | Lahore Qalandars 202/8 — Islamabad United 107 (15.1 ovs); Qalandars won by 95 runs (ESPN.com) |
| 30 Apr 2025 | 19th Match, Lahore | Lahore Qalandars 209/6 — Islamabad United 121 (16.5 ovs); Qalandars won by 88 runs (ESPN.com) |
| 11 Apr 2025 | 1st Match, Rawalpindi | Lahore Qalandars 139 — Islamabad United 143/2 (17.4 ovs); United won by 8 wickets (ESPN) |
| 06 Mar 2024 | 23rd Match, Rawalpindi | Lahore Qalandars 162/7 — Islamabad United 145 (18.5 ovs); Qalandars won by 17 runs (ESPN) |
| 17 Feb 2024 | 1st Match, Lahore | Lahore Qalandars 195/5 — Islamabad United 200/2 (18.2 ovs); United won by 8 wickets (ESPN.com) |
Lahore Qalandars
The Lahore Qalandars are a professional cricket team based out of Pakistan competing in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). Owned and operated by Rana brothers, its home ground is Gaddafi Stadium where it first started play.
Established in 2015, its name references Sufi saints while simultaneously reflecting Lahore culture; their slogan reads ‘Dama Dam Mast,” translating to: “every soul (Dama) captivated by cricket (Mast). With strong fan bases as well as involvement with community efforts, both fans can expect much out of Lahore!
In 2022, the Qalandars advanced to the final of the PSL and won their inaugural title. After beating Karachi Kings and Islamabad United in close matches, they chased down 202 runs for victory against Quetta Gladiators to take down Kusal Perera (62) with three wickets taken by Sikandar Raza helping secure victory.
the 2024 Qalandars attempted to replicate their success from 2023, but ultimately fell short. Led by Shaheen Afridi as captain and keeping some key players, however their batting and fielding proved problematic while Rashid Khan suffered an injury which hindered their bowling game significantly. Furthermore, inconsistent performances led to some close defeats.
The Qalandars players hail primarily from Punjab region. Through a special Player Development Program, they identify young talent across Pakistan. Trials are held across cities to find suitable candidates who will later train in Australia.
Their members are known for good sportsmanship and support of local charities; one such rivalry with Karachi Kings stands out among them all.
Defending Champions
Lahore Qalandars are the reigning Pakistan Super League Champions and have captured three titles over the last four years. Their popularity and community service efforts are well known, and they also run an excellent player development program which holds trials across different cities to find new young cricket players to develop quickly. Their great track record in the league makes them often considered to be its top team.
The 2022 season was not kind to Islamabad United; however, they managed to pull two wins out of three to reach the semifinals. Although they fell to Peshawar Zalmi first, they eventually prevailed and defeated them before going on to beat Islamabad United with only five victories out of ten matches overall. They ultimately finished the tournament with five victories and five losses.
Lahore Qalandars entered the 2024 Pakistan Super League as defending champions but struggled during this tournament, winning only one out of their ten matches and finishing last overall.
To add depth, this season they acquired international stars such as AB de Villiers and Mohammad Hafeez while suffering injuries and poor performances as they tried out new players they brought on board for this campaign.
In the playoffs, they defeated Multan Sultans and Peshawar Zalmi to advance to the final. There, they beat Multan Sultans by just 1 run with 200 runs scored by them and Shaheen Afridi taking four wickets – becoming the first team in history to ever win two PSL championships back-to-back.
The Qalandars have an established history in the league, and their rivalry with Karachi Kings is one of the fiercest in tournament. Both teams meet 14 times annually for exciting encounters; both have large followings of fans that regularly sell out their matches.
In their next match against Karachi Kings, Qalandars will aim to continue their winning streak and become one of Pakistan’s powerhouses by performing at their best cricket.
Their talented lineup consists of players from across Pakistan – they hope that by winning this championship they can establish themselves as one of Pakistan’s premier sides.
Prediction
On Friday, Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium should provide ideal batting conditions. The wicket should provide some additional bounce and spinners may struggle to gain early breakthroughs; therefore, both teams’ batting performances will be key to their respective victories in this match.
Qalandars defeated Karachi Kings with ease to post the second highest total in the tournament, led by Fakhar Zaman’s 48-ball 48-run knock and supported by Mohammad Naeem’s (25b, 17b, 4x4s and 2×6) contribution as they shared in an incredible second wicket stand of 97 runs for victory.
Qalandars will count on Haris Rauf, Mohammad Naeem, Abdullah Shafique, Sahibzada Farhan, Tymal Mills James Neesham and Naseem Shah as bowling weapons while Islamabad United will depend on Andries Gous, Alex Hales Rassie van der Dussen Salman Agha and Haider Ali for run chases respectively. Imad Wasim and Jason Holder must also deliver at an elevated level – as expected this matchup promises high scoring action!