 "Sikandar Raza plays a shot during PSL 2025. Image: PCB")
Sikandar Raza had a day that very few cricketers will ever experience in their careers. Less than 24 hours before the PSL 2025 final, he was in Nottingham, UK, playing a Test match for Zimbabwe against England. Raza played a knock of 60 runs from 68 balls as he tried hard to stop an innings defeat in their one-off Test. But once he got out, Zimbabwe’s innings came to an end.
Raza lands for PSL final just 10 minutes before toss
England won the match by an innings and 45 runs. Almost immediately after that, Raza boarded a flight and flew to Pakistan. His team, Lahore Qalandars, were playing the final of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) against Quetta Gladiators. The Qalandars were so desperate to have him in the team that they brought Raza, who had arrived just 10 minutes before the toss, in the last moment.
The Qalandars reportedly had two team sheets ready for the match, hoping that Raza would arrive in time. The one sheet had Raza’s name in the XI and another had Shakib Al Hasan’s in case he didn’t make it in time. After Raza landed at the airport, his team named him in the playing XI even though he hadn’t arrived at the ground yet. Shakib was left out.
Raza started the PSL 2025 season with Lahore Qalandars and played the early matches. But after the tournament was paused earlier this month due to India-Pakistan tensions, Raza left Pakistan to prepare for Zimbabwe’s Test against England. When PSL 2025 resumed, Raza flew back to Pakistan to play an important knockout game against Peshawar Zalmi.
Qalandars won that game and qualified for the final rounds and Raza went back to England for the Test match. Zimbabwe lost the Test by an innings. Meanwhile, Qalandars won two playoff games and reached the final. As soon as the Test ended on Saturday evening, the Qalandars quickly brought Raza back again for the final. He proved to be expensive in the final, where he picked up 1 wicket for 43 runs in 4 overs.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsAt the time of writing this story, his team is trying to chase down a 202-run target. Qalandars are looking comfortable in their chase with both openers still intact. LQ captain Shaheeh Shah Afridi shone with the ball as he picked up three wickets for just 24 runs.