PSL: Yasir Khan fireworks launch Sultans’ PSL campaign in style

Dubai: Multan Sultans scored a thumping 33-run win over Lahore Qalandars at home to get first points on board in PSL 2025. On a sweltering evening in Multan, Yasir Khan lit up the stadium with a blistering 87 off 44, powering the hosts to a record 228 — the highest PSL total in the city.

Iftikhar Ahmed’s late flourish (40 not out off 18) and cameos throughout the order dismantled Lahore’s pace trio, as Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf and Zaman Khan were taken for 119 runs in just eight overs.

Chasing an imposing target, Lahore never quite kept up. Fakhar Zaman threatened briefly with 32 off 14, but Michael Bracewell and Ubaid Shah led a disciplined bowling effort. Ubaid’s three wickets included the key scalp of Sam Billings, while Sikandar Raza’s defiant 50 not out off 27 only narrowed the margin.

The Sultans’ campaign is finally underway — and with Yasir in this kind of form, it may be lifting off fast.

“I worked so hard for this day and am very happy that my team won because of my performance,” Yasir Khan said after winning the Player of the Match award. “Lot of hard work behind this success, I usually played these kinds of shots and like to hit the ball down the ground and over midwicket.”

Multan Sultans beat Lahore Qalandars by 33 runs. Multan Sultans 228 for 5 (Yasir 87, Iftikhar 40 not out, Usman 39, Rizwan 32, Rishad 2-45) beat Lahore Qalandars 195 for 9 (Raza 50*, Billings 43, Fakhar 32, Ubaid 3-37, Bracewell 2-20, Mir 2-26).