Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan was the only one among the three Bangladeshi spinners—Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Rishad Hossain, and himself—selected to play in the crucial Pakistan Super League (PSL) eliminator for Lahore Qalandars against Karachi Kings. Lahore opted not to field all three or even both all-rounders Shakib and Miraz together, prioritizing team balance for the high-stakes clash.
Shakib made good use of the single over he was given, taking 1 wicket for just 4 runs, playing his role efficiently. His contribution helped Lahore secure a convincing 6-wicket win and move on to the second qualifier, where they are set to face Islamabad United in the final showdown.
Batting first after winning the toss, Karachi Kings put up a solid total of 190 for 8, led by Australian opener and captain David Warner, who scored a fiery 72 off 52 balls with 8 boundaries and 3 sixes. However, a lack of big scores from other batsmen kept Karachi from reaching the 200-run mark.
In response, Lahore came out swinging. The opening pair put on 42 runs in just 4.3 overs. Fakhar Zaman added momentum with a blistering 47 off 28 balls, before Abdullah Shafiq took control with a powerful 65 off 35 balls, steering the team comfortably toward victory.
Late contributions from Sri Lankan duo Kusal Perera (30 off 24) and Bhanuka Rajapaksa (an unbeaten 23 off 12) sealed the deal, as Lahore chased down the target with eight balls remaining, keeping their PSL title hopes alive.
