Sikandar Raza Gets In Feud With Pakistani Player In PSL, Labels Him Irrelevant

Sikandar Raza Gets In Feud With Pakistani Player [Source: AFP Photos]

The PSL 2026 season is back in controversy after Lahore Qalandars’ all-rounder Sikandar Raza declared an all-out war with a senior Pakistan cricketer over a throwaway comment.

Raza has played five PSL seasons so far and has been a part of the Qalandars squad that won multiple titles. However, his commitment was previously questioned, forcing Raza to take a firm stand.

When Imad Wasim questioned Sikandar Raza’s integrity

For context, during PSL 2025, Pakistan cricketer Imad Wasim made a remark about Sikandar Raza’s dramatic, last-minute arrival for the final. 

He framed it in the context of modern franchise cricket, basically implying that Raza showed up because he was getting paid.

“Like Shoaib Akhtar said, money can do things for you. If you’re getting paid, you’ll go. I travel a lot too. Sometimes one match ends, and the next day you’re playing another. I have travelled 24 hours straight and gone directly into a match. So yes, money can make different things happen,” Imad had said.

What happened was that Raza had played a Test match for Zimbabwe in Nottingham, and he immediately flew to Lahore after the game. The all-rounder arrived minutes before the toss for the PSL final.

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Sikandar Raza exposes Imad Wasim

Now, a year later, Sikandar Raza finally hit back at Imad Wasim. Talking to Cricwick, Raza clarified that money was never the motivation for him to play the PSL 2025 final.

He claimed that respect, honour, and loyalty to Lahore Qalandars were his priorities. Not only that, the all-rounder exposed Wasim, saying he lost money from his contract for missing earlier PSL league games.

"Regarding Imad Wasim's comments about money being my motivation to return and play the PSL final, money was not the motivating factor. My priorities are respect, honour, and loyalty. In fact, money was deducted from my contract for the matches I missed, so his opinion doesn't bother me because it isn't true,” Raza said.

Despite the deduction, he chose to return to the PSL for the final. That last point completely flips Imad’s narrative because that proves that money was never an issue for Sikandar Raza.

Sikandar Raza’s performance in the PSL 2025 final

That being said, despite limited practice and late arrival, Sikandar Raza played a key role in Lahore Qalandars’ PSL 2025 title victory. He picked one wicket with the ball and played a clutch knock of 22* off 7 balls in a 202-run chase.

Raza walked in when Qalandars were 145/4 in 16.4 overs. They needed 57 off 20 balls with Kusal Perera on the crease. However, Sikandar Raza took the matter into his own hands and started hitting almost immediately.

He smashed 2 fours and as many sixes to finish the chase in style. Lahore Qalandars won the game by 6 wickets on the penultimate delivery.

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