West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder delivered with the ball but faltered with the bat as Islamabad United suffered a crushing 88-run defeat at the hands of host Lahore Qalandars, which marked their first loss of the 2025 Pakistan Super League campaign.
Holder battled through Lahore’s late onslaught to claim 2-54 in his four overs, including both Sikandar Raza and Asif Ali in the final over, but the damage had long been done. A flurry of late runs from the hosts pushed them to a daunting 209-6, setting the stage for Islamabad’s biggest challenge of the season.
When Holder returned to the crease with bat in hand, Islamabad was already in disarray. His stay at the wicket lasted just one ball, a golden duck that compounded what turned out to be his team’s worst batting performance of the tournament. Bowled out for 121 in 16.5 overs, United's previously unbeaten record was left in ruins at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday.
Earlier, after Islamabad opted to field, Fakhar Zaman (44 off 30) and Mohammad Naeem (25 off 22) set a brisk platform with a 50-run opening stand, launching an assault in the powerplay. Though Naeem was run out, the hosts continued to pile on the pressure. Imad Wasim, the pick of the bowlers alongside Holder, managed to briefly halt the momentum with two key strikes—removing both Zaman and Abdullah Shafique (22) in quick succession.
But it was Lahore’s middle and lower order that truly punished the United attack. Daryl Mitchell (28 off 18), Sam Billings (unbeaten 38 off 17), and Sikandar Raza (39 off 17) unleashed fireworks in the death overs. Raza and Billings added a devastating 64-run stand, lifting Lahore beyond the 200-mark. Holder returned to grab two late wickets, but the score already looked out of reach.
In response, Islamabad’s top order never looked settled. Sahibzada Farhan (nine) fell early, and though Andries Gous (41 off 27) and Salman Agha (36 off 25) stitched together a 69-run partnership, it proved to be a false dawn. Once Agha was bowled by Raza at 80-2, the innings unraveled in dramatic fashion.
The last eight wickets crumbled for just 41 runs, with only Shadab Khan (13) and Naseem Shah (11) making it to double figures. Haris Rauf was devastating in his four-over burst, claiming 4-31, while Raza returned with 3-20 to complete a man-of-the-match performance.
Despite the heavy loss, Islamabad United remain atop the PSL table on 10 points, but the emphatic win for Lahore Qalandars has now brought them to second place with eight points.