The 10th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) began with a bang on Friday as defending champions Islamabad United cruised to a comfortable eight-wicket win over two-time winners Lahore Qalandars at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
A colourful opening ceremony sets the stage for what promises to be an electrifying cricket season.
In the first match of PSL 10, debutant Jason Holder took the limelight with a breathtaking four-wicket haul. Colin Munro's half-century, which remained unbeaten, propelled United to an effortless chase of the humble 140-run target. Islamabad completed the match with 14 balls remaining and only two wickets lost, gaining the top position on the points table in the early stages of the tournament.
The run chase didn’t start ideally for the champions, as debutant Andries Gous fell early with only 8 runs on the board. But Munro and Sahibzada Farhan steadied the innings, adding 55 runs for the second wicket before Farhan departed for 25. Munro then paired up with Agha Salman to form a match-winning 80-run partnership. Munro top-scored with a classy 59 not out off 42 balls, hitting 7 fours and a six, while Agha contributed an unbeaten 41 off 34.
Earlier, Islamabad United skipper Shadab Khan opted to bowl first — a decision that paid off handsomely. The Qalandars struggled right from the start, losing Fakhar Zaman early and never fully recovering. Despite a valiant 66 off 38 balls by Abdullah Shafique, which included six fours and three sixes, Lahore could only manage 139 before being bowled out in 19.2 overs.
Jason Holder was the star with the ball, taking 4/26, as Shadab took three wickets. Imad Wasim, Naseem Shah, and Riley Meredith added a wicket each, leaving Qalandars under pressure.
With this victory, Islamabad United, the sole three-time PSL title winners (2016, 2018, 2024), started their title defence in dominant style. Lahore Qalandars, who won in 2022 and 2023, will seek to regain their form in their next game.
Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium will remain the venue for PSL matches, including the Qualifier on May 13, while Eliminators are to be held in Lahore on May 14 and May 16. The grand final will be hosted at the historic Gaddafi Stadium on May 18.
