Sikandar Raza arrives minutes before toss, powers Lahore to PSL glory

After a furious rush from England, Sikandar Raza arrived barely 10 minutes before the toss and hit the decisive runs to help Lahore Qalandars win the Pakistan Super League title on Sunday.

Following Zimbabwe's innings loss to England in the Nottingham Test on Saturday, the 39-year-old boarded an aircraft to Pakistan and was hoisted off the field by his jubilant teammates on the shoulders.

Raza hit 22 not out with two sixes and two fours to give the home team a thrilling six-wicket victory over Quetta Gladiators with one ball to spare.

"Had dinner in Birmingham, breakfast in Dubai, drove to Abu Dhabi for lunch, took a flight and had dinner in Pakistan," said Raza, who scored a half-century in his country's heavy defeat to England.

"I guess this is the life of a professional cricketer, and I'm truly humbled and blessed to have that life."

Needing 13 off the last over to complete a 202-run chase, Raza struck a six and a four to help seal the title.

Sri Lankan Kusal Perera led the chase with an undefeated 31-ball 62 studded with five boundaries and four sixes, adding 59 runs during the unbroken fifth-wicket stand.

Opener Mohammad Naeem scored 46, with half a dozen sixes and one boundary, and Abdullah Shafique hit 41 to set Lahore on course to make the highest successful chase in a PSL final.

Lahore sealed their third title following triumphs in 2022 and 2023.

Hasan Nawaz scored a brilliant 76 to lift Quetta to 201-9 after they won the toss and batted.

Coming in at 21-2, Nawaz added 67 for the fourth wicket with Avishka Fernando (29) and 46 with Dinesh Chandimal (22).

Skipper Shaheen Shah Afridi was the pick of Lahore's bowlers with 3-24.

It was Faheem Ashraf (28) who lifted Quetta past 200, taking 23 off the last over from Salman Mirza.