PSL 2021: "I told Lahore Qalandars' owners to sell me their team"- Shoaib Akhtar

Lahore Qalandars were one of the favorites to win PSL 2021 after their excellent performance in the competition's first phase. However, the Lahore-based franchise failed to replicate their performance in the second phase and failed to qualify for the PSL 2021 playoffs stage.

Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar was disappointed with Lahore Qalandars' bad run in the second phase of PSL 2021. He expressed his desire to buy the franchise and rename it Lahore Express. Akhtar also wants to add some better names to the team management so that the Lahore-based franchise can perform better.

“I told Rana brothers to sell me your team I’ll rename it as Lahore express and change the management. These owners and management aren’t serious about cricket, they are wasting the Lahore brand,” said Shoaib Akhtar, as reported by Crickwick.

Shoaib Akhtar lambasts Lahore Qalandars' management 👀#HBLPSL6https://t.co/TGuzk6MOYt

— CricWick (@CricWick) June 20, 2021

Lahore Qalandars qualified for the final in PSL 2020. This year, they had won five of their first six matches. It seemed the Qalandars would finish in the Top 2 IN the league standings. However, the Sohail Akhtar-led outfit lost their last four league matches to end the season in fifth position, missing out on a playoffs berth because of their inferior net run rate.

International stars like Rashid Khan and James Faulkner played for the Lahore Qalandars in PSL 2021

Shaheen Shah Afridi scalped 16 wickets for Lahore Qalandars in PSL 2021

It is not that the Lahore Qalandars had a weak team in PSL 2021. They had big names such as Rashid Khan, James Faulkner, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammed Hafeez, Ben Dunk and Fakhar Zaman in the squad.

The batting unit could not perform up to the mark in their last four matches. Lahore batted second in each of their last four league games and failed to chase the target every time. In their final league match, the Qalandars managed only 89 runs while chasing a 170-run target against the Multan Sultans. That defeat played a vital role in Lahore's exit from PSL 2021.

While the Qalandars are out of PSL 2021, the tournament's playoffs stage will begin tonight, with Abu Dhabi set to host the Qualifier and Eliminator 1. Islamabad United will battle Multan Sultans in the Qualifier, while the first Eliminator will feature defending champions Karachi Kings and Peshawar Zalmi.