- May 17, 2025
Just when PSL 2025 was getting going, it had to pause. Now, having returned like an unexpected TV series between seasons, things are about to get even more dramatic. It’s the business end of the tournament – eight games to establish who goes into the last weekend to contest for the trophy and who returns home scratching their heads.
The Big Picture
If PSL 2025 were a game of musical chairs, Quetta Gladiators already have a cushy chair. With their place in the top two already secured, they can play with depth of squad against a lowly Multan. Rilee Rossouw returning (yes, the 2019 magician), paired with Finn Allen, means their first-choice top order is intact and dangerous. They also have new faces such as Chandimal and Gulbadin Naib, which gives Quetta the capacity to warm up before playoff action.
On the opposite end, Multan Sultans are the team everyone wants to face—because, well, they’re already out. Nine games, eight losses, and one mystery overseas batter yet to be announced… It’s been a season to forget. But hey, Dilshan Madushanka might get a chance to show what he can do. Call it pride, or just finishing the fixture list, but Multan can still play spoiler.
The Mid-Table Mayhem: It’s Crowded in the Middle
The true madness is brewing in the center. Karachi Kings, Islamabad United, Lahore Qalandars, and Peshawar Zalmi are in a tug-of-war for those valuable spots in the playoffs.
Karachi Kings have been reborn under David Warner’s leadership and are on the verge of a top-two finish—yes, the same team that couldn’t win the past three years. With Seifert, Vince, Nabi, and even George “Reverse-Sweeping Demon” Munsey, they’ve got the depth. Two tricky games ahead—against desperate Zalmi and United—mean they can’t relax just yet.
Islamabad United, last year’s champions, had mirrored the experience of a runaway train, starting with five straight wins before someone hit the emergency brake. Then they plummeted to four losses, and they were hanging by a thread as it was their last game against, you guessed it, Karachi. Is the good news that Van der Dussen, Alex Hales, and Neesham are back? Or is the bad news that their only hope is that they must win, but pray there is no awkward revenge from net run-rate?
The Lahore Qalandars are back in the elimination dance. Rain, inconsistency, and absentees have narrowed the margins dramatically—if they don’t defeat Zalmi, they are gone. Sikandar Raza is flying in for one game (before playing a Test in England, just to be clear), and Shakib and Rajapaksa are returning from long naps of cricket. Should they fail to win on Sunday, it will be the seventh missed playoff in ten seasons for Lahore. Ouch.
Zalmi’s Double Life and the Wild Card Element
Now look at Peshawar Zalmi – the perennial playoff team that suddenly appears weak. They are peaking at the right time with three wins in their last four, and unlike most, they have two matches left. The matchup against Lahore looks pivotal for their playoff hopes; if they beat Lahore, then they are locked in. If they lose to Lahore, that does not necessarily eliminate them, but they then need to rely on performance vs. Karachi (even in a loss, a win over Karachi could guarantee passage if they have a higher net run-rate).
With playoffs looming and only Quetta safe, every game now feels like a final. Karachi and Zalmi look poised to squeeze in, while Lahore and Islamabad must fight for survival. Multan, well… they’re just here to complete the fixtures.
So, whether you’re cheering in the stands or refreshing your score app every two minutes, get ready for a final stretch filled with drama, desperation, and (hopefully) some vintage PSL chaos.
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