Lahore Qalandars defeated Quetta Gladiators with one ball to spare in a pulsating PSL 2025 final to lift the trophy for a third time in four seasons.
Below, The National picks the team of the tournament.
1. Sahibzada Farhan (Islamabad United)
Matches: 12, Runs: 449, Avg: 37.41, Strike rate: 152.2, 100s: 1, 50s: 3
The leading run getter of the tournament and one of the most promising names to emerge from the 10th edition of the league. Has been in amazing form this year, with a record four T20 tons already. Should walk into the national team from here on.
2. Fakhar Zaman (Lahore Qalandars)
M: 13, Runs: 439, Avg: 33.76, SR: 152.96, 50s: 4
There are many incredible hitters in white-ball cricket but no one does it like Zaman. Despite being 35, Zaman continued to set the standards this season. With the T20 World Cup next year, Zaman looks good for one final push for a world title. Needs to maintain his fitness though, as this season has thrown up many young batters who can match him for power and impact.
3. James Vince (Karachi Kings)
M: 11, Runs: 378, Avg: 37.80, SR: 148.23, 100s: 1, 50s: 3
The backbone of Karachi’s batting this season, alongside David Warner. Vince is a regular in the PSL and Australia’s Big Bash and has an extensive body of work in the format, scoring more than 12,000 runs. Has excelled across conditions and showed his versatility this year. One of five centurions in PSL 2025.
4. Hasan Nawaz (Quetta Gladiators)
M: 12, Runs: 399, Avg: 57, SR: 162.19, 100s: 1, 50s: 3
The player of the tournament and the most promising young talent of PSL. The 22-year-old was the top scorer in the final with 76 from 43 balls and finished the tournament with the highest tally of 28 sixes. Has already shown what he is capable of at the international level, scoring a ton in New Zealand. Will surely be the middle order engine of the national team moving forward.
5. Kusal Perera (Lahore Qalandars, wk)
M: 4, Runs: 170, Avg: 56.66, SR: 173.46, 50s: 2
The Sri Lankan keeper batter was a late addition to the Lahore team and featured in only four games right at the end of the tournament. But Perera was in sensational form in all matches, hitting a match-winning fifty in the final to hand the team their third PSL title. Scored at a strike rate of 200 in a high-scoring chase in the final - one of the best innings in the tournament’s history.
6. Sikandar Raza (Lahore Qalandars)
M: 11, Runs: 254, Avg: 42.33, SR: 169.33, Wkts: 10, Econ: 7.75
The Zimbabwe all-rounder had an outstanding tournament with the bat and ball. But it was his effort before and during the final that was truly special. He was part of the national team that completed a one off Test in England on Saturday, took multiple modes of transportation to land in Lahore just minutes before toss for the final on Sunday, and hit a six and four off the third last and penultimate ball of the tournament to seal the title.
7. Shadab Khan (Islamabad United)
M: 10, Wkts: 14, Econ: 7.90, Runs: 173, SR: 155.85
The spin-bowling all-rounder came into his own this season, leading the way with the ball. Took wickets and also kept the runs down successfully. His team’s form dipped after a strong start to the tournament but his effort with the ball will be great news for the national team.
8. Faheem Ashraf (Quetta Gladiators)
M: 12, Wkts: 17, Econ: 11.19, Runs: 163, SR: 155.23
The all-rounder was one of the driving forces behind Quetta’s run to the final, where he again put in a great effort with the bat, hitting 28 from just eight balls. However, his bowling let him down in the final over. Still, finished as the joint second highest wicket taker of the tournament and one of the few quality seam bowling all-rounders in Pakistan.
9. Shaheen Afridi (Lahore Qalandars, captain)
M: 13, Wkts: 19, Best: 3/3, Econ: 7.76
The left-arm pacer was the top wicket taker of the tournament. Was the point of difference in the final, giving away just 24 runs and picking up three wickets in a high-scoring match. But more importantly, captained Lahore maturely to clinch a third title in four seasons. Has put his up and down career with the national team behind him and looks a completely new bowler and leader.
10. Hasan Ali (Karachi Kings)
M: 10, Wkts: 17, Best: 4/28, Econ: 9.03
Many thought the veteran pacer was past his best. But the right arm seamer proved mighty effective, taking wickets regularly with his sharp variations. In T20s, bowling requires a lot more experienced heads, while batting tends to favour younger and more daring players. Hasan showed that there are not many bowlers better than him in PSL.
11. Abrar Ahmed (Quetta Gladiators)
M: 12, Wkts: 17, Best: 4/42, Econ: 7.34
The right-arm mystery spinner has already established himself as one of the premier slow bowlers at the international stage. He extended his good run in the PSL, finishing as the second highest wicket taker of the tournament and maintaining a superb economy. Slowly, batters are beginning to play him out, which is a testament to his guile and control.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The 24-man squad:
Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea), Simon Mignolet (Liverpool), Koen Casteels (VfL Wolfsburg).
Defenders: Toby Alderweireld (Tottenham), Thomas Meunier (Paris Saint-Germain), Thomas Vermaelen (Barcelona), Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham), Dedryck Boyata (Celtic), Vincent Kompany (Manchester City).
Midfielders: Marouane Fellaini (Manchester United), Axel Witsel (Tianjin Quanjian), Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), Eden Hazard (Chelsea), Nacer Chadli (West Bromwich Albion), Leander Dendoncker (Anderlecht), Thorgan Hazard (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Youri Tielemans (Monaco), Mousa Dembele (Tottenham Hotspur).
Forwards: Michy Batshuayi (Chelsea/Dortmund), Yannick Carrasco (Dalian Yifang), Adnan Januzaj (Real Sociedad), Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United), Dries Mertens (Napoli).
Standby player: Laurent Ciman (Los Angeles FC).
The past winners
2009 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
2010 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
2011 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
2012 - Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus)
2013 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
2014 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2015 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)
2016 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2017 - Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
Company%20Profile
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A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
THE%20SPECS
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Why seagrass matters
- Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
- Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
- Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
- Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
Top%2010%20most%20competitive%20economies
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It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
What should do investors do now?
What does the S&P 500's new all-time high mean for the average investor?
Should I be euphoric?
No. It's fine to be pleased about hearty returns on your investments. But it's not a good idea to tie your emotions closely to the ups and downs of the stock market. You'll get tired fast. This market moment comes on the heels of last year's nosedive. And it's not the first or last time the stock market will make a dramatic move.
So what happened?
It's more about what happened last year. Many of the concerns that triggered that plunge towards the end of last have largely been quelled. The US and China are slowly moving toward a trade agreement. The Federal Reserve has indicated it likely will not raise rates at all in 2019 after seven recent increases. And those changes, along with some strong earnings reports and broader healthy economic indicators, have fueled some optimism in stock markets.
"The panic in the fourth quarter was based mostly on fears," says Brent Schutte, chief investment strategist for Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company. "The fundamentals have mostly held up, while the fears have gone away and the fears were based mostly on emotion."
Should I buy? Should I sell?
Maybe. It depends on what your long-term investment plan is. The best advice is usually the same no matter the day — determine your financial goals, make a plan to reach them and stick to it.
"I would encourage (investors) not to overreact to highs, just as I would encourage them not to overreact to the lows of December," Mr Schutte says.
All the same, there are some situations in which you should consider taking action. If you think you can't live through another low like last year, the time to get out is now. If the balance of assets in your portfolio is out of whack thanks to the rise of the stock market, make adjustments. And if you need your money in the next five to 10 years, it shouldn't be in stocks anyhow. But for most people, it's also a good time to just leave things be.
Resist the urge to abandon the diversification of your portfolio, Mr Schutte cautions. It may be tempting to shed other investments that aren't performing as well, such as some international stocks, but diversification is designed to help steady your performance over time.
Will the rally last?
No one knows for sure. But David Bailin, chief investment officer at Citi Private Bank, expects the US market could move up 5 per cent to 7 per cent more over the next nine to 12 months, provided the Fed doesn't raise rates and earnings growth exceeds current expectations. We are in a late cycle market, a period when US equities have historically done very well, but volatility also rises, he says.
"This phase can last six months to several years, but it's important clients remain invested and not try to prematurely position for a contraction of the market," Mr Bailin says. "Doing so would risk missing out on important portfolio returns."
