After more than six months away from competitive cricket, Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan made his return on May 18, representing Lahore Qalandars in an unofficial quarter-final clash against Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). Although Lahore won the match, Shakib had a forgettable comeback — he was dismissed on the very first ball he faced and went wicketless with the ball.
However, in his second match — the Eliminator against Karachi Kings on Thursday night — Shakib finally got a wicket to his name.
Lahore Qalandars, featuring three Bangladeshi players — Shakib, Rishad Hossain, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (all spinners) — chose only Shakib for the playing XI, likely due to his vast experience.
Shakib bowled just one over in the match, brought into the attack right after the Powerplay by captain Shaheen Afridi. He conceded only 4 runs in the first 5 balls and dismissed James Vince with the last delivery of the over. Surprisingly, that was the only over he bowled.
Captain Shaheen likely refrained from bringing him back due to the presence of left-handed David Warner at the crease, who batted until the 16th over and hammered the Lahore bowlers with a dominant 75-run innings. Shakib, also a left-armer, was possibly seen as a mismatch in that phase.
After Warner’s dismissal, Karachi Kings relied on quick cameos from Irfan Khan (18), Khushdil Shah (27), and Mohammad Nabi (16) to post a competitive total of 190.
Despite the hefty target, Lahore Qalandars chased it down with ease — so much so that Shakib wasn’t even needed to bat. Fakhar Zaman set the tone with a blazing 47 off 28 balls. Abdullah Shafique kept the momentum going with a powerful 65 off 35 deliveries. After Kusal Perera chipped in with 30, Bhanuka Rajapaksa finished the job with a quickfire 23 off 12, sealing a 6-wicket victory.
With the win, Lahore advanced to the PSL Qualifier, where they will face Islamabad United on Friday night.
