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LAHORE: Defending champions Lahore Qalandars return to their fortress at Gaddafi Stadium on Tuesday with renewed hunger, desperate to claw back into the playoff race when they face a stuttering Quetta Gladiators side in a crucial day match of the HBL Pakistan Super League.
The high-stakes contest kicks off a double-header that will also see the winless Rawalpindiz take on in-form Multan Sultans in a night fixture at Karachi’s National Bank Stadium.
With the league entering its decisive phase after shifting back between the two venues following the second-round matches in Karachi, every point now carries massive weight.
Qalandars, led by explosive pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi, sit sixth on the points table with six points from seven matches, while Gladiators occupy fourth spot with the same six points from eight games but a marginally better net run-rate. Both sides know defeat could effectively end their playoff ambitions, especially as Peshawar Zalmi have already qualified at the top with 15 points.
Qalandars have shown fighting spirit at home. In the first round at Gaddafi Stadium, they secured two wins — against Hyderabad Kingsmen and Multan Sultans — before suffering a loss to Karachi Kings.
Back on familiar turf after the break, they will look to unleash their potent batting line-up featuring Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique, Mohammad Naeem and all-rounder Sikandar Raza.
In the bowling department, captain Shaheen has been the standout performer with 13 wickets, the second-highest in the tournament. However, he needs greater support from Haris Rauf, Raza and young pacer Ubaid Shah, who have struggled to find consistent rhythm with the new ball and in the death overs.
Gladiators, the 2019 champions, have been inconsistent, particularly at Gaddafi Stadium, where they have managed only one victory in four attempts. Defeats to Karachi Kings, Islamabad United and Multan Sultans highlight their vulnerabilities, with their sole success coming against Hyderabad Kingsmen.
Hasan Nawaz has emerged as a reliable performer, amassing 288 runs at an average of 41.14, while captain Saud Shakeel has chipped in with 206 runs through composed middle-order innings.
Yet the Gladiators require explosive contributions from overseas stars Rilee Rossouw, Shamyl Hussain, Khawaja Nafay and Bevon Jacobs to improve their middle-overs batting, an area where they have faltered.
Their bowling attack hinges on the spin duo of Abrar Ahmed and Usman Tariq, each with eight wickets so far.
Following their heavy loss to Peshawar Zalmi on Sunday, Gladiators bowling coach Sohail Tanvir urged his players to move forward without dwelling on setbacks.
“In my view, this happens sometimes — there comes a day as a team when nothing clicks for you,” he said. “So, in such situations, as management, as a coach, or as senior players, all we can say is: forget this match and let’s move on.”
“Because the good performance from the previous match didn’t help us today, and if we played badly today and didn’t perform well, it shouldn’t affect the upcoming matches.
“We still have two games. And we are still in fourth position. We have all the chances — if we play the next matches well, we can qualify for the playoffs.”
Sohail pinpointed middle-overs batting struggles and the inability of the pace attack to build pressure in the powerplay as key issues, stressing that spinners Abrar and Usman need a strong platform from the top order to be effective.
On Monday, Qalandars held a practice session at the LCCA Ground alongside Karachi Kings, fine-tuning strategies for the must-win encounter. The Gladiators, arriving in Lahore later in the evening, chose rest to ensure freshness.
The day’s second match in Karachi pits the hapless Rawalpindiz against high-flying Multan Sultans. The newly introduced Rawalpindiz franchise has endured a torrid debut campaign, remaining winless in seven matches with a dismal net run-rate.
Despite boasting talents such as Mohammad Rizwan and a blend of experienced locals and overseas players, the side has failed to click, leaving them anchored at the bottom of the table.
Multan Sultans, in stark contrast, sit second with 10 points from seven matches. With five victories already, they are among the most consistent teams and heavy favourites to extend their dominance against the struggling Pindiz outfit.
A win would further strengthen their playoff position, while Rawalpindiz face yet another daunting challenge in their quest for a maiden PSL victory.
Published in Dawn, April 21st, 2026
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