LAHORE: Lahore Qalandars skipper Shaheen Shah Afridi expressed satisfaction with his side’s overall performance in their opening PSL 11 clash against debutants Hyderabad Kingsmen at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.
Afridi capped off the innings in style, smashing two consecutive sixes off the final two deliveries to push his team to a commanding total.
Speaking at the post-match talks, Afridi highlighted the team’s growing cohesion and valuable match practice: “We enjoyed it. We’ve been together for the last week and have had good game time.”
He lauded the explosive start provided by Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Naeem, whose aggressive batting in the powerplay laid the foundation for the innings. “Fakhar and Naeem were excellent in the powerplay with the bat. We struggled a bit in the middle overs, but this is just the start of the tournament, and we have plenty of firepower,” Afridi noted.
Reflecting on the bowling unit, the Qalandars captain emphasized the importance of experience and combinations. He welcomed the reunion with Mustafizur Rahman, recalling their early days together at Qalandars, and praised Haris Rauf for his consistent performances. “Mustafizur and I started at the same time for the Qalandars, and it’s great to be back together. Haris Rauf has been good for us. We’ve made changes to the playing XI at times, and it has worked well.”
Afridi also spoke about his batting approach, underlining his intent to shift momentum in crucial moments: “When I’m batting, I try to build momentum for the team. Our aim was to take wickets and build pressure.”
