There are dramatic finishes, and then there are stories that feel like a script straight out of a sports film. The heroics of Sikandar Raza for Lahore Qalandars in the PSL 10 final fall firmly in the latter. This wasnโt just about runs, wickets, or titles โ it was about heart, hustle, and an insane amount of air miles.
Just a day before the PSL 2025 final, Raza was padding up for Zimbabwe in a historic Test match against England at Trent Bridge. Less than 24 hours later, he was walking out under the floodlights at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, hitting the winning runs for Lahore Qalandars.
From Test Whites to Qalandarsโ Green
On paper, Zimbabwe had just lost a one-off Test against England โ their first in over two decades on English soil. But for Sikandar Raza, the Test match was just the beginning of a whirlwind journey. No recovery days. No extended media duties. Just a mission.
Once the stumps were drawn at Trent Bridge, Raza jumped into a friendโs car and was rushed to Birmingham Airport. With no business class seats available, he flew economy to Dubai, waited six hours, transferred to Abu Dhabi, and finally caught a flight to Lahore.
Still in transit when the toss happened, Shaheen Afridi calmly announced, โRazaโs playing tonight.โ Unbelievable? Definitely. Impossible? Not if youโre Sikandar Raza.
Sikandar Raza: The Match-Turner
Razaโs impact was immediate. He came on early and picked up the crucial wicket of Rilee Rossouw. But it was his batting that sealed his spot in PSL folklore.
With 57 needed off 20 and Mohammad Amir steaming in, Qalandars were staring down the barrel. But Raza wasnโt rattled. A boundary, then a six โ clean, composed, clutch. Suddenly, hope returned.
In the final over, Qalandars needed 8 off 3. Faheem Ashraf bowled a near-perfect wide yorker. But Raza? He reached for it, found the middle of his bat, and sent it sailing over cover for six. The next delivery? Dispatched to midwicket. Game. Set. Trophy.
As fireworks exploded, Raza was hoisted high by his teammates โ a moment frozen in PSL history. This wasnโt just a win. This was a story of resilience, selflessness, and the beautiful madness of cricket.
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