The 2025 Pakistan Super League started with a bang as Islamabad United (IU) cruised to an emphatic 8-wicket victory against Lahore Qalandars (LQ) in the first game of PSL Season 10. The match held at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium provided a taste of what will surely become an exciting tournament.
IU vs LQ PSL 2025: Islamabad United Outclass Lahore Qalandars
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In the highly anticipated IU vs LQ PSL 2025 opener, Lahore Qalandars, with Shaheen Afridi at the helm, chose to bat first and were bowled out for 139 in 19.2 overs. Their counterparts, Islamabad United, pursued the target confidently, scoring 143/2 in 17.4 overs, with Colin Munro and Salman Ali Agha performing a match-winning show.
Collapse of Lahore’s Batting Lineup: Only Abdullah Shafiq Shines
Lahore Qalandars’ batting order was disappointing in the first PSL 2025 match, Abdullah Shafiq was the only warrior, making a fantastic 66 runs from 38 balls, with 6 fours and 3 sixes.
Sikandar Raza contributed 23 runs, but the rest of the batting order fell apart under pressure. No other batsman managed to score more than 15 runs, resulting in a subpar total.
Islamabad’s Bowling Attack Led by Jason Holder
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The pick of the bowlers with the ball for Islamabad United was:
Holder bowled a fiery spell, with 4 wickets for 26 runs off 4 overs.
IU captain Shadab Khan also took 3 wickets for 25 runs off 3.2 overs with his spin.
The other contributors were Naseem Shah, Imad Wasim, and Kyle Mayers, each picking up one wicket. Their joint efforts made it impossible for Lahore to ever establish a strong base.
Islamabad’s Chase: Early Wicket but Smooth Finish
Islamabad United advanced quickly after losing their first wicket for just 8 runs: A 55-run stand for the second wicket ensured the winning cause. Colin Munro was just too stylish for the Lahore bowling attack, blasting an innings of 59 runs off 42 balls, including 7 fours and a six.
Salman Ali Agha chiefly batted as a supporting actor in silence and concluded an unbeaten 41 off 34 balls. Lahore bowlers, Asif Afridi and Haris Rauf, each secured a wicket, but were unable to stem the flow of scoring.
Final Scorecard: IU vs LQ PSL 2025
In the opening match of the 2025 PSL between Islamabad United and Lahore Qalandars, Lahore Qalandars managed to score 139 runs in their allotted overs, at 19.2 overs, with Abdullah Shafiq scoring the top score with 66 runs at a rate of 38 balls.
In reply, Islamabad United made short work of the total scoring 143/2 from 17.4 overs, after Colin Munro had another firm innings, scoring 59 runs from 42 balls. Jason Holder was declared Player of the Match for an effective bowling spell for figures of 4/26 and helped Islamabad to an easy win by 8 wickets at the start of his team PSL 2025 campaign.
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