PSL 2025: Match 1, Lahore Qalandars (LAH) Predicted Playing XI vs Islamabad United

The tenth season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) is set to commence on April 11 at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi. The first game is between Islamabad United and Lahore Qalandars, and it will start at 9 PM IST. The tournament came into existence in 2015 by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

To make something like IPL, the Board members came up with PSL. The tournament has gained a lot of popularity in recent years. PSL is played with six teams in a double round-robin and playoff format. The tournament will be played from April 11 to May 18, 2025, and will clash with the IPL 2025.

Six teams will fight against each other for that one ultimate title as well as prize money. The winner of the tournament will win USD 500,000, while the runner-up team will receive USD 200,000. The previous season's winners were Islamabad United. This season will be equally thrilling to watch due to the participation of talented players in the tournament. 

Here's Lahore Qalandars' strongest playing XI:

Openers: Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman

The season's opening partners for Lahore Qalandars will be Abdullah Shafique and Fakhan Zaman. Both players have established themselves on Pakistan's national side and have done well in the past. This is Shafique's fourth season, and until now, in 26 matches, he has scored 678 runs at an average of 28.25.

On the contrary, Zaman is quite experienced in the tournament. He has played in eight seasons, scoring 2525 runs in 84 matches at an average of 30.42. His highest score is 115 runs, and he has claimed two wickets as well. He will be an asset for the Qalandars this season. 

Also Check - IPL 2025: AI suggests PSL players who could replace Ruturaj Gaikwad in CSK squad if eligible

Middle Order: Sam Billings, Kusal Perera, Asif Ali, Daryl Mitchell

The middle order has some of the best batters on the team, including Sam Billings, Kusal Perera, Asif Ali, and Daryl Mitchell. All the batters have quality experience in the T20 format and have played in various other franchise leagues as well. Currently, Billings and Mitchell are in brilliant form, and if they get going, they can surely help the Qalandars throughout the entire tournament. 

Perera and Asif Ali are talented batters, and if they are given proper chances, they can utilize them. They will get an ample amount of opportunities this season to showcase their talent. Kusal Perera has been an underrated player for Sri Lanka and can do wonders in the PSL. This is his first season, so the pressure will surely be on him. 

Also Check: Match 2, PES vs QUE Match Prediction – Who will win today’s PSL match between PES vs QUE?

All-rounders: David Wiese, Tom Curran

David Wiese and Tom Curran are the all-rounders for Qalandars. They have a lot of experience in the T20 leagues, which will help them in the upcoming tournament. Both are pace bowling all-rounders, so the team might have extra options. Also, David Wiese is quite popular for scoring huge sixes in T20s, which is another important thing about the player. 

Tom Curran has played with Islamabad United in the PSL and will be playing against them this season. So, it will be super exciting to watch the player in action. In five games, he claimed eight wickets and scored 21 runs as well. While he might not be handy with the bat, he is terrific with the ball. 

Bowlers: Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi, Zaman Khan

Lahore Qalandars have some of the best bowlers in the tournament. Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi, and Zaman Khan are on the team, making the bowling unit strong. Shaheen and Rauf are well-known bowlers who are popular for dismantling batters' stumps during crunch situations. 

Meanwhile, Zaman Khan will be playing his fourth season with the Qalandars. Hence, the player would be well aware of how things work in the team and the tournament. In 35 matches, he has 44 wickets at an average of 24.02. 

Lahore Qalandars' Predicted XI

Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Sam Billings, Kusal Perera, Asif Ali, Daryl Mitchell, David Wiese, Tom Curran, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi, Zaman Khan