- May 25, 2025
In the wild and wacky world of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), where sixes are hit like wayward fireworks and wickets tumble faster than politicians’ promises, like a plot twist no one saw coming, they turned collapse into choreography. For a team that had become synonymous with heartache, Lahore has performed a plot twist even Netflix would envy. From wooden spoon collectors to back-to-back champions (2022, 2023), the Qalandars are no longer PSL’s punchline—they’re the headline act. And now, with yet another final on the horizon, the burning question is: Can they do it again?
The Turnaround Tale: From Floundering to Flourishing
Let’s turn back the clock. The Lahore Qalandars were the team your rivals supported from 2016 to 2019, designed to make you feel good about your own bad team! As you made your way to the productive cycle from 2020-2023, boom – 2 wins in 3 PSL finals, a winning percentage of 2.00, and a run rate of 8.56 in finals. Not bad for a team that used to sit lower than your phone’s battery on a night out at midnight!
So, what changed? A lot, actually. A combination of clarity, camaraderie, and calm. When Shaheen Shah Afridi was welcomed in as captain, it wasn’t just to create chaos in the media, it was to settle the base. Lahore wasn’t just chasing dreams, they were putting targets down on the field and defending them. Along with a bunch of consistent players like Fakhar Zaman and Haris Rauf. You have no choice but to keep playing and keep winning!
The Afridi Effect
If there were a movie trailer for PSL, Shaheen Afridi would be the star. This man doesn’t just bowl, he hunts. Being a young pacer and accepting captaincy was a tough proposition, but Shaheen was the full house. His captaincy in the finals in 2022 and 2023 was not simply decorative but tactical.
His resource allocation, uncanny ability to pick wickets in the powerplay, and even his pyrotechnical cameos with the bat, Sri Lanka’s six-laden masterclass in the 2023 final, anyone? Shaheen was the heart and soul of the Qalandars. He led with conviction and purpose, with fire in his eyes and hair gelled to the max, and his teammates fell in line. You don’t coach that type of swagger, you’re born with it!
The Unsung Heroes and the Secret Sauce
While Shaheen and Fakhar grab some headlines, the success that comes with a final has been a team buffet of match-winners. Think David Wiese, the Swiss Army Knife of T20 cricket, bats like a butcher and bowls like a locksmith.
Then we have the data. In PSL finals, the Qalandars average 28.55 runs per wicket with 200 as their highest score. That’s not just showing up, that’s turned up. The way they play finals is simple—you bat deep, you bowl tactically smart, you field like your whole life would be ruined if you had a missed field. And let’s be honest, it probably would be when you play in Pakistan.
Will Shaheen’s boys ride momentum all the way through the tournament highs and lows, or will the PSL throw in another twist as it loves to do? No matter the end result, one certainty is that when the Qalandars take the field during a PSL final, you better be watching.
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