KARACHI: Half-centuries by opener Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Farooq set up defending champions Lahore Qalandars’ 32-run victory over Rawalpindiz in the 27th match of the Pakistan Super League on Saturday.

Fakhar scored 84 and Farooq 63 as they put on 121 for the first wicket, propelling Qalandars to 210 for four. Usama Mir then completed 200 T20 wickets and Shaheen Shah Afridi drew level with Hasan Ali (135) as the joint leading PSL wicket-taker as they combined with Haris Rauf to restrict Rawalpindiz to 178 for nine.

The win ended Qalandars’ three-match losing streak here at the National Bank Stadium and helped the three-time champions join Quetta Gladiators, Hyderabad Kingsmen and Karachi Kings on six points, with only Kings having played one fewer match. This was Rawalpindiz’s seventh successive defeat in their debut season.

Peshawar Zalmi are already through to the play-offs following six wins from seven matches, while Islamabad United are second on nine points from seven matches. Multan Sultans are third with eight points from six matches.

Fakhar struck 11 fours and a six in a 54-ball 84, while Farooq’s 41-ball 63 included five fours and five sixes. Their 121-run opening stand off 65 balls was Qalandars’ highest for the first wicket, eclipsing the 108 between Azhar Ali and Chris Gayle.

After Farooq departed, Fakhar and Abdullah Shafique stitched a 70-run second-wicket partnership off 43 balls, enabling Qalandars to score 27 in the last three overs — including successive sixes off the last two balls by Asif Ali. Abdullah scored 26 off 18 balls, while Asif finished on 14 not out off six balls.

For Rawalpindiz, Mohammad Amir took two for 25 and Razaullah two for 45.

Rawalpindiz were never in contention in the chase of 211, slipping to 134 for eight in 16.4 overs before finishing at 178 for nine.

Their innings was highlighted by Yasir Khan’s 29-ball 58 laced with six fours and three sixes, while Saad Masood entertained late on with a 26-ball 54 including nine fours and a six.

Mohammad Rizwan, playing his 100th PSL match, managed just nine off nine balls and has now scored only 107 runs from seven matches. The gutsy wicketkeeper-batter who inspired Multan Sultans to successive finals from 2021 to 2024 has now lost 13 straight matches as captain.

For Qalandars, Haris Rauf was the pick of the bowlers with three for 43, while Shaheen Shah Afridi took two for 19 and Usama Mir collected two for 29. Sikandar Raza and Daniel Sams took one wicket each.

Scores in brief:

Match 27 – Lahore Qalandars beat Rawalpindiz by 32 runs.

LAHORE QALANDARS 210-4, 20 overs (Fakhar Zaman 84, Mohammad Farooq 63, Abdullah Shafique 26, Asif Ali 14 not out; Mohammad Amir 2-25, Razaullah 2-45)

RAWALPINDIZ 178-9, 20 overs (Yasir Khan 58, Saad Masood 54, Daryl Mitchell 11; Haris Rauf 3-43, Shaheen Shah Afridi 2-19, Usama Mir 2-29)

PLAYER OF THE MATCH – Fakhar Zaman (Lahore Qalandars)

SUNDAY’S FIXTURES: Karachi Kings vs Multan Sultans; Peshawar Zalmi vs Quetta Gladiators