RAWALPINDI, Pakistan: A bubble blowing, bald Australian batsman has become an instant hit in the Pakistan Super League Twenty20 tournament.
Ben Dunk broke his own record of most sixes in a PSL game within a week when he smashed 12 towering sixes against Karachi Kings in an unbeaten 99 off just 40 balls on Sunday night. The blistering knock earned Lahore a resounding eight-wicket win with five balls to spare as the home team raced to 190-2.
Dunk went agonizingly close to a century last Tuesday, too, when he smashed 10 sixes against defending champion Quetta Gladiators in a match-winning knock of 93 not out.
“I think no one realistically will remember whether it was 100 or 99 not outs,” Dunk, who will turn 33 on Wednesday, said. “Most people who came tonight remember that we won the game and I think that’s something that I’ve always prided myself on … and we’re right back in the tournament again.”
And every time Dunk has struck big, the powerful left-hander has celebrated it by blowing a bubble to the great delight of his franchise Lahore Qalandars fans at the Qaddafi Stadium.
“No special things in it, I’m just trying to stay calm in the middle, really,” Dunk said of his celebration. “It’s sort of a little idiosyncrasy, I guess, that I do and probably a bad habit that I should probably stop. But I just try and do it to keep me calm and keep my mind on the task at hand.”
Dunk’s exploits with the bat have changed Lahore’s fortunes. With three league games still in hand, Lahore could make it to the playoffs for the first time in five years after finishing at the bottom of the standings in the previous four editions of the tournament.
Dunk’s ferocious hitting had left bowlers clueless in the PSL. No matter at what length a spinner or a fast bowler has bowled, Dunk has dispatched it over the boundary with apparent ease on both sides of the wicket. Be it experienced left-arm fast bowler Mohammad Amir or Pakistan’s No. 1 choice Twenty20 left-arm spinner Imad Wasim, both got punished by Dunk on Sunday.
But Dunk, a journeyman who has played in T20 leagues in four countries, believes he’s one of the lucky players to be part of the PSL.
“There’s so many cricketers who want to play in this tournament, both locally here and around the world,” Dunk said. “I’m certainly in no position to dictate where I bat … I’m happy to keep (wickets), happy to bat, happy to bat at 11 and happy to try and bowl if that’s what the team needs. I just want to try and do the best that I can for the team.” He bowls some right-arm offspin, bats left-handed and take the gloves behind the stumps.
Dunk, who hails from Australia’s northern Queensland state, has played five Twenty20 internationals for Australia, making his debut in 2014 against South Africa at Adelaide. Despite his recent form, he doesn’t see himself in the plans of coach Justin Langer for this year’s Twenty20 World Cup in Australia.
“Fortunately enough, in Australia we’ve got quite a few good players. I would assume JL (Justin Langer) would certainly be following (the PSL), but I would say I am well off the radar.”
Dunk is also inspired by the big crowds in the PSL both at Lahore and Rawalpindi as the Twenty20 league is being played in its entirety for the first time in Pakistan since it was launched in 2016 in the United Arab Emirates.
“The crowds have been amazing, they’re almost like our 12th man,” he said. “As we sort of start to get momentum in the game, you could just feel the crowd getting louder and louder. I really feel quite blessed to have them cheering. I’d certainly rather be playing for Lahore in this stadium than against us, that’s for sure.”
Bubble-blowing Dunk a big hit in Pakistan Super League
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Bubble-blowing Dunk a big hit in Pakistan Super League
- Australian batsman Ben Dunk broke his own record of most sixes in a PSL game within a week
- Every time Dunk struck big, the powerful left-hander celebrated by blowing a bubble to the delight of Lahore Qalandars fans
Freddy Schott wins maiden title after 3-way Bahrain Championship playoff
- The German beat Calum Hill and Patrick Reed after they all finished on 17-under after 72 holes
BAHRAIN: Freddy Schott won his first DP World Tour title after beating Calum Hill and Patrick Reed in a playoff at the 2026 Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship on Sunday.
The trio were locked together at 17-under par after 72 holes. This was after Reed shot 67 on Sunday to make up a four-shot overnight deficit to Hill, who began day two clear but had to settle for a 71 after a bogey. Schott carded 69 to join the pair.
Reed bogeyed the first playoff hole to drop out of contention and after Hill went out of bounds second time round, before sending his fourth shot into the water, he sportingly conceded without making Schott putt for the win.
Schott, who was presented with the trophy by Bahrain’s Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, said: “I have no idea. It’s just amazing, I’m just extremely happy, surprised ... I don’t know what’s happening right now. I’m just so happy.
“I could have done it the regular way, that would have also been fine. But to do it this way feels even more special so I’m just glad it happened this way.”
Hill, who equaled the course record of 61 in Friday’s second round, added to his two-shot overnight lead with an opening birdie after a superb approach, with Schott responding at the second before both players birdied the next.
The Scot was four clear after another gain at the fifth but bogeyed the sixth while Schott made birdie, cutting the lead to one before drawing level with a birdie at the next.
Schott bogeyed the eighth but led anyway as Hill made a double, and a birdie at the 10th took the German two ahead, only for a double-bogey of his own at the 11th to leave the pair all square again.
“It was tough, especially towards the end,” said Schott.
“The start was okay, because I was playing alright. It had good flow to it. Obviously, nerves kicked in from the back nine onwards. I was happy that I managed it okay, not perfect, but okay, and you guys saw what happened, so I’m very happy now.
Sergio Garcia had joined the leaders by that point after responding to an opening bogey with three birdies in four holes from the third and another three in succession from the ninth, as had Reed after his fifth gain of the day at the 12th.
Daniel Hillier carded six birdies in a blemish-free 66, his second six-under-par round of the week, to set the clubhouse target at 16-under as the leaders still on the course battled for supremacy.
Schott, Hill and Reed all reached 18-under with back-to-back birdies, Reed at the 13th and 14th with his rivals a hole behind.
Garcia’s challenge was left hanging by a thread after a double-bogey at the par-five 14th, as he eventually finished alongside Hillier on 16-under, and Reed dropped a shot at the 16th.
Schott and Hill missed the 17th green to the left before escaping with good chips, but while Hill holed his par putt, Schott made bogey.
Reed set a new clubhouse target of 17-under but when his birdie putt at the last agonizingly stayed up on the short side, Hill had a one-shot lead down the last.
But he sent his approach to the extreme left of the green, leaving a nasty putt up the slope by the side of the green which he was unable to get close. Schott was in similar territory but closer in, allowing him to save par while Hill made bogey to set up the playoff.
Reed found the bunker with his 73rd tee shot and went from there to the edge of another, with Schott and Hill both hitting the fairway and then the heart of the green.
Schott holed for par and despite a superb effort at his up-and-down, Reed was unable to respond and dropped out of contention. Hill held his nerve as he and Schott went back to the tee.
The Scot sent his next tee-shot out of bounds to the left, with Schott only just avoiding the water in response. He sent his approach right of the green but Hill found the water with his fourth and conceded after Schott chipped on.
Hill and Reed shared second with Garcia and Hillier fourth and France’s Ugo Coussaud a shot further back in sixth.
The championship provided invaluable experience for emerging golfers, with local players gaining exposure competing alongside Major champions and multiple DP World Tour winners.
Ahmed Alzayed, Ali Alkowari and Khalifa Almaraisi all teed it up at Royal Golf Club this week, with former Masters champions Garcia and Reed, and three-time Major winner Padraig Harrington.
While the cut proved elusive, the experience of competing at the highest level of professional golf will prove invaluable.
“The competition comes to an end, but it’s not the end for me, I think it’s just the beginning,” said Alkowari.
“I’m happy with the result this year. I played 20 shots better than last year, so there are improvements. Hopefully, if I’m playing next year, it will be even better. Who knows, maybe even making the cut.”
A record crowd of 13,186, a 30 percent increase on last year’s attendance, watched the action across the four days.
