Holder and Munro Lead Title-Holders Islamabad United to Opening Victory

Islamabad United Dominate Lahore Qalandars to Begin Title Defence in Style

Islamabad United launched their title defence with a commanding eight-wicket victory over Lahore Qalandars in the PSL 2025 opener. An all-round performance, spearheaded by Jason Holder’s brilliant 4 for 26 with the ball and Colin Munro’s unbeaten 59 from 42 balls with the bat, ensured United cruised through a chase of 140 with 14 balls to spare, taking any potential pressure out of the equation well before the final runs were struck.

Qalandars Struggle with the Bat

Islamabad United won the toss and chose to field first, a decision that paid off as they started tightly against Fakhar Zaman, who was confined by short deliveries. Riley Meredith struck the first blow, removing Zaman when he failed to get on top of a hook shot. The Qalandars, finding it difficult to score freely on a slow pitch, struggled to build partnerships. Although Abdullah Shafique managed to hit Naseem Shah for 17 in his third over, spinners Imad Wasim and Shadab Khan quickly turned the tide, with both sending Daryl Mitchell and Sam Billings back to the pavilion.

Shafique remained the lone bright spot for Lahore, timing the ball beautifully against pace and using his feet well against spin. He even lofted Imad for a straight six over the bowler’s head, showcasing his elegance. Despite Shafique’s efforts, wickets continued to fall at the other end, and a brief 35-run partnership with Sikandar Raza was cut short by a dramatic collapse. Holder was the chief architect, taking two wickets in consecutive deliveries—dismissals of Jahandad Khan and David Wiese—and followed up by removing Shaheen Shah Afridi. Shafique, who fought valiantly for 66 off 38 balls, was the ninth wicket to fall, with Shadab completing the innings and wrapping up the Qalandars' total with four balls to spare.

United’s Steady Chase

In reply, Islamabad United didn’t get off to their usual explosive start, with the surface playing a big part in slowing down the scoring. Shaheen Shah Afridi struggled to generate swing, and it was the 38-year-old left-arm spinner Asif Afridi who caused the most trouble, removing Andries Gous in his first over and restricting United to just eight runs in his three overs during the powerplay.

Despite this, United remained composed, gradually easing into the chase. Sahibzada Farhan, though struggling with his timing, managed to hit three sixes in his 24-ball 25, while Munro anchored the chase from the other end. A powerful slap down the ground off Jahandad Khan’s first delivery helped Munro settle in, and as Salman Agha joined him, the pair took control. A wayward 12th over from Wiese cost 17 runs, bringing the required rate down to around a run a ball. From that point, the Qalandars could not apply sufficient pressure to halt the chase.

Agha continued his useful knock with a slap over mid-off against Haris Rauf, further cementing United’s dominance. Munro, showing his class, followed up with a stunning inside-out six off Shaheen. United wrapped up the match when Agha drove Jahandad over extra-cover, officially sealing a comfortable victory.

Islamabad United’s comprehensive win marked a strong start to their title defence, leaving Lahore Qalandars with plenty to think about as they regroup for the rest of the tournament.

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