Less than 24 hours after battling to save Zimbabwe from an innings defeat at Trent Bridge with a gritty 60 off 68, Sikandar Raza found himself boarding a flight to Lahore. His Test resistance ultimately ended in vain, but another challenge awaited – the PSL 2025 final.
The Test ended Saturday evening, Pakistan time, and Lahore Qalandars had already put their plan in motion. They booked Raza on the first flight out, hoping their trusted allrounder could make it to the final in time.
Lahore Qalandars prepared 2 Playing XIs
The odds were tight. Qalandars even prepared two team sheets — one with Raza and another with Shakib Al Hasan, in case their man didn’t make it. Ten minutes before the toss, Raza landed in Lahore. He hadn’t reached the ground yet, but the Qalandars took the punt and named him anyway. It was a gamble that paid off.
His final act was worth the chaos. Chasing 202 against Quetta Gladiators, Lahore wobbled before Raza and Kusal Perera stitched an unbeaten 59-run stand. Raza sealed the title with a six and four off consecutive deliveries — a fitting finish to an extraordinary two days.
“Lunch in Abu Dhabi, dinner in Pakistan,” says Raza
Raza has spent the past few weeks crisscrossing continents — from the PSL’s initial stages to national duty, and back again. When the league resumed after a suspension mid-month, he flew in for the knockout against Peshawar Zalmi, helped Lahore secure a final berth, and immediately returned to England for the one-off Test.
Once Zimbabwe’s fate was sealed, he was airborne again — from Birmingham to Dubai, then Abu Dhabi, before finally touching down in Pakistan. “Bowled 25 overs in a Test yesterday, batted 20 overs. Dinner in Birmingham, breakfast in Dubai, lunch in Abu Dhabi, and now dinner in Pakistan. This is the life of a professional cricketer. I am truly humble and blessed to have that life,” he said, moments after the win — a quote that perfectly sums up modern cricket’s madness.
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