Islamabad United Demolish Lahore Qalandars by 9 Wickets – PSL 2026 Match Report
Islamabad United made it look embarrassingly easy at the National Stadium, Karachi. Lahore Qalandars were skittled for just 100 in 18.3 overs and United knocked off the target in 10.2 overs – a 9-wicket hammering that left Shaheen Afridi and his side with plenty to think about.
Lahore Qalandars – 100/10 (18.3 overs)
Islamabad United won the toss and elected to field. It proved an inspired call. Imad Wasim set the tone with two early wickets, removing Mohammad Naeem for a duck from the second ball and Abdullah Shafique shortly after, leaving Lahore reeling at 27/2 after four overs. Chris Green was equally destructive through the middle, claiming 3 wickets for 19 runs from his four overs at an economy of 4.75.
Sikandar Raza offered brief resistance with 25 from 19 balls (SR 131.58), and Asif Ali chipped in with 15, but no Lahore batter passed that mark. The top score came from Haseebullah Khan with 19 from 22 before he was bowled by Green. Lahore’s captain Shaheen Afridi managed just 9 at number eight, caught by Conway off Faheem Ashraf, before Gleeson cleaned up the tail to wrap things up in 18.3 overs.
Bowling highlights (Islamabad United): Chris Green 3/19 (4 overs, econ 4.75), Imad Wasim 2/13 (4 overs, econ 3.25), Shadab Khan 2/18 (4 overs, econ 4.50), Richard Gleeson 2/13 (3 overs, econ 4.33).
Islamabad United – 104/1 (10.2 overs)
Devon Conway and Mohammad Faiq made the chase a formality. After opener Sameer Minhas fell for 5 early, Conway and Faiq put on an unbroken 93-run partnership that sealed the match with nearly 10 overs to spare.
Conway was imperious – 59 not out from 35 balls, striking at 168.57 with 7 fours and 3 sixes. Mohammad Faiq was equally aggressive, finishing 34 not out from 19 balls at an SR of 178.95. Shaheen Afridi’s one wicket from 3 overs at 7.33 told its own story – the Lahore attack had nothing to offer once the target was as low as 101.
Statz Ratings
The Statz Rating told the full story of a one-sided contest. Imad Wasim topped the table with a rating of 77.8 – the highest of the match – for a match-winning bowling display combined with his winning side’s result factor. Conway’s explosive half-century earned him a 62.5 rating, while Green’s 3-wicket haul secured 59.8. The top Lahore performer was Shaheen Afridi with just 35.9 despite taking a wicket with the ball – his poor batting innings in a losing cause reflected in the final figure.
| Rank | Player | Team | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Imad Wasim | ISU | 77.8 |
| 2 | Devon Conway | ISU | 62.5 |
| 3 | Chris Green | ISU | 59.8 |
| 4 | Mohammad Faiq | ISU | 48.7 |
| 5 | Shadab Khan | ISU | 42.6 |
| 6 | Shaheen Afridi | LQ | 35.9 |
| 7 | Sikandar Raza | LQ | 35.7 |
Verdict
A complete performance from Islamabad United. The toss decision to field was vindicated within the first over, and their spinners – Imad Wasim, Green, and Shadab – strangled a Lahore batting lineup that never got going. The chase was routine. For Lahore, losing this heavily in a PSL 2026 game at Karachi is a significant concern – their batting needs to find some form fast if they want to stay in contention.
Full scorecard and Statz Ratings: statz.ai/cricket/fixtures/69489/lahore-qalandars-vs-islamabad-united/scorecard
