- Shamser Khalid
Lahore Qalandars Announce Amazing Gifts for the Team
The Lahore Qalandars have done it again! They pulled off a nail-biting last-ball win over the Multan Sultans to clinch their second consecutive Pakistan Super League (PSL) title in Lahore last week.
It was an absolute thriller of a match, with both teams putting up a great fight. But in the end, it was the Qalandars who emerged victorious, becoming the first PSL side to win back-to-back titles.
The celebrations were in full swing as soon as Khushdil Shah was run out on the final ball of the match, giving the Qalandars a 1-run win. The young Zaman Khan was the hero for his side, holding his nerve and delivering the goods when it mattered the most.
And let's not forget about Shaheen Afridi, who became the first captain ever to win back-to-back PSL titles. What a moment for him and his team!
Gifts for All the Team
But the celebrations didn't end there. The Qalandars' owner announced some amazing gifts for the team, including residential plots and iPhones. One staff member was so overwhelmed by the news that he went crazy, creating a hilarious video that quickly went viral on social media.
The plots gifted to the players are worth a whopping 92.5 lakh Pakistani rupees, which is roughly Rs 27 lakh in Indian currency.
The players who received these plots were Shaheen Shah Afridi, Fakhar Zaman, Rashid Khan, and Zaman Khan, with Shaheen Shah Afridi receiving two plots, each measuring one kanal in size, for leading the team to victory.
Last Time the Qalander Team Received a Gift
While the gifts given for their performance in the finals were amazing, it is not the first time the team received gifts for their performance in the PSL.
On the first week of March, the Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Lahore Qalandars rewarded its players for their performance by gifting them an iPhone and a piece of land in the city during a dressing room ceremony.
This tradition started after Lahore's victory over Quetta Gladiators when Sikandar Raza and Rashid Khan were awarded for their match-winning performance in the fixture.
Rashid Khan was given an iPhone 14, while Sikandar Raza received a piece of land as a gift. The players appeared thrilled during the dressing room ceremonies, with smiles on their faces.
Lahore had won the match against Quetta by defending a score of 148, with Rashid Khan playing a crucial role by scoring 21 runs and taking two wickets. On the other hand, Sikandar Raza's unbeaten 71 helped Lahore reach the 100-run mark.
With five wins from six matches, Lahore Qalandars were in the top spot on the points table, while Quetta Gladiators were in the last spot with just one win.
Highlights of the Final
It was a well-deserved win for the Qalandars, who had put up a solid performance throughout the tournament. In the final, they won the toss and opted to bat first on a batting-friendly pitch at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
Abdullah Shafique was the top scorer for his side, scoring 65 off just 40 balls. Shaheen Afridi played a fantastic cameo toward the end, smashing 44 off just 15 deliveries. Mirza Baig and Fakhar Zaman also got good starts but could not convert them into big scores.
In response, Rilee Rossouw scored a half-century for the Sultans, while their captain Mohammad Rizwan also played a quickfire knock of 34 off just 23 deliveries. But in the end, they fell just short of the target, thanks to great bowling and fielding by the Qalandars.
Giving gifts for amazing performances in a game is not uncommon in the cricket community. Other examples of gift giving after a game include when Virat Kohli gifted shirts to Khawaja & Carey for an impressive run score and when the Australian team gave a signed jersey to celebrate Cheteshwar Pujara's 100th Test match.
