Lahore Qalandars captain Shaheen Afridi has come under heavy discussion on social media after his emotional outburst during the ongoing PSL. After a disappointing outing during the recent match against Quetta Gladiators, the fast bowler lost his cool and broke his bat while going back to the dugout.
The defending champions suffered a six-wicket defeat to Quetta Gladiators at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi on Friday, April 17. Shaheen Afridi’s team recorded its third consecutive defeat in the tournament. They managed to score 134 runs and Quetta Gladiators chased the target with 22 balls to spare.
Shaheen Afridi fell into the trap of golden duck, lost his temper
The defending champions were already struggling at 60 for five when Shaheen Afridi moved himself up the batting order in an attempt to stabilize the innings. However, his plan failed as he faced a nightmare at the crease.
The captain hit a slog sweep against spinner Usman Tariq on the very first ball. The ball took the lead and went straight to Saud Shakeel, who completed a comfortable catch, dismissing him for a golden duck and leaving his team in even more trouble.
After getting out, Shaheen completely lost his control. On his way back, the frustrated captain hit his bat on the boundary rope and the side screen tyres. Later visuals showed him continuing his anger near the dressing room stairs, striking him repeatedly with his bat.
Shaheen Shah Afridi broke his bat after being out on zero. #LHQVQTG pic.twitter.com/DYzLMCFe9f
– Nibraz Ramzan (@nibraz88cricket) 17 April 2026
We are struggling right now – Shaheen Afridi
During the post-match presentation, Shaheen Afridi admitted that the team’s batting has been poor in recent matches. However, the captain also said that the bowling unit has to take responsibility and improve its performance, especially during the middle overs.
“It is true that we are struggling right now, especially with the bat in these conditions in Karachi, but we will not be out of the tournament by any means,” Afridi said in the post-match presentation.
“The bowlers need to step up and take wickets in the middle overs,” he said.
The defending champions are under immense pressure and are placed seventh with only four points from six matches. They need an immediate turnaround and will need to win all four remaining games to keep their playoff hopes alive. The team will play its next match against the winless Rawalpindi team.
Lahore Qalandars’ playoff hopes in danger
Peshawar Zalmi is on top of the points table with 13 points while remaining unbeaten in all seven matches. His net run rate this season is more than 2.404.
Islamabad United are in second place with nine points, while Multan Sultans are in third place with eight points. There is a tough battle going on in the mid-table between Quetta Gladiators, Hyderabad Kingsmen and Karachi Kings, with all three teams currently progressing to the next round with six points each.
Lahore Qalandars are struggling at the bottom, having managed only two wins so far and suffering four defeats. The situation is even worse for Rawalpindi, who remain at the bottom of the table after failing to register a single win in their first six matches of the tournament.
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