PSL 2025 final: Shaheen Afridi leads the way as Lahore Qalandars win third T20 crown


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Shaheen Afridi emerged as the most successful captain in Pakistan Super League history as his Lahore Qalandars side stormed to the title with a six-wicket win over Quetta Gladiators in the final on Sunday.

Lahore chased down the 202-run target with one ball to spare as Afridi lifted the PSL trophy for the third time.

Sri Lankan wicketkeeper batter Kusal Perera (62) and local batting star Mohammad Naeem (46) powered Lahore’s chase but it was Afridi who had restricted Quetta earlier with a stunning spell, finishing with 3-24 in a high-scoring contest.

The match, however, was dominated by the bat as the future of Pakistan’s batting was on display during the final, with Hasan Nawaz of Quetta and Naeem landing some heavy hits in a tense contest.

Up-and-coming batting star Nawaz saved his best for the most important match of the tournament at the Qaddafi Stadium as he cracked 76 from 43 balls. His was the best effort in an all-round batting display by Quetta as five of their top seven batters made decent contributions.

Sri Lankan duo Avishka Fernando (29) and Dinesh Chandimal (22) played impactful innings but it was all-rounder Faheem Ashraf who once again delivered with the bat, smashing 28 from just eight balls with three sixes to edge the total to 201-9.

Nawaz thus continued his stellar form in T20 cricket, averaging 57 in the PSL with a ton and three fifties, to go with his T20 century in New Zealand earlier in the year.

A target of over 200 in a tournament final was a psychological boost for Quetta. They could have had a lot more as four of Lahore’s five bowlers went for more than 10 runs an over. The only reason Quetta got restricted to around 200 was another superb spell by pace ace Afridi.

The left-arm quick and Qalandars captain returned superb figures of 3-24 from his four overs, including important scalps of his counterpart Saud Shakeel and top-scorer Nawaz.

Afridi also finished as the highest wicket taker in the tournament with 19 scalps at an economy of under eight.

In reply, Lahore too were powered at the top by their own local batting powerhouse Naeem, who made a brisk 46 from 27 balls with a staggering six sixes.

Abdullah Shafique maintained the tempo for Lahore with 41 from 28 but it was Sri Lankan batter Perera who anchored the chase with 62 not out from 31 balls with five fours and four sixes.

The finishing touch was provided by Zimbabwe all-rounder Sikandar Raza, who had flown in for the final at the last possible moment. Raza hit six and a four off the third last and penultimate ball of the tournament, bowled by Faheem, to secure victory with six wickets and one ball in hand.

It was a noteworthy effort from Raza who had been busy with his national team during a one-off Test in England. After his team succumbed to an innings defeat in Nottingham on Saturday, Raza flew straight to Pakistan and landed in Lahore just in time to feature in the final.

Lahore have now won three of the last four PSL titles.

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2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US

2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks

2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit

2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”

2022:  Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency

July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”

Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.

Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”

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Director: Scott Cooper

Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong

Rating: 4/5

Key Points
  • Protests against President Omar Al Bashir enter their sixth day
  • Reports of President Bashir's resignation and arrests of senior government officials

Simran

Director Hansal Mehta

Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Soham Shah, Esha Tiwari Pandey

Three stars

Most match wins on clay

Guillermo Vilas - 659

Manuel Orantes - 501

Thomas Muster - 422

Rafael Nadal - 399 *

Jose Higueras - 378

Eddie Dibbs - 370

Ilie Nastase - 338

Carlos Moya - 337

Ivan Lendl - 329

Andres Gomez - 322

UK’s AI plan
  • AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
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  • £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
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8 traditional Jamaican dishes to try at Kingston 21

  1. Trench Town Rock: Jamaican-style curry goat served in a pastry basket with a carrot and potato garnish
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FIGHT CARD

Welterweight Mostafa Radi (PAL) v Tohir Zhuraev (TJK)

Catchweight 75kg Leandro Martins (BRA) v Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR)

Flyweight Corinne Laframboise (CAN) v Manon Fiorot (FRA)

Featherweight Ahmed Al Darmaki (UAE) v Bogdan Kirilenko (UZB)

Lightweight Izzedine Al Derabani (JOR) v Atabek Abdimitalipov (KYG)

Featherweight Yousef Al Housani (UAE) v Mohamed Arsharq Ali (SLA)

Catchweight 69kg Jung Han-gook (KOR) v Elias Boudegzdame (ALG)

Catchweight 71kg Usman Nurmagomedov (RUS) v Jerry Kvarnstrom (FIN)

Featherweight title Lee Do-gyeom (KOR) v Alexandru Chitoran (ROU)

Lightweight title Bruno Machado (BRA) v Mike Santiago (USA)

Results

Stage 5:

1. Jonas Vingegaard (DEN) Team Jumbo-Visma  04:19:08

2. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates  00:00:03

3. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers

4. Sergio Higuita (COL) EF Education-Nippo 00:00:05

5. Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep 00:00:06

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1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 17:09:26

2.  Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers 00:00:45

3. Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep 00:01:12

4. Chris Harper (AUS) Team Jumbo-Visma 00:01:54

5. Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-Nippo 00:01:56

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34 goals - Robert Lewandowski (68 points)

34 - Ciro Immobile (68)

31 - Cristiano Ronaldo (62)

28 - Timo Werner (56)

25 - Lionel Messi (50)

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The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

Updated: May 25, 2025, 7:51 PM