Peshawar Zalmi ended their nine-year title drought with a commanding five-wicket victory over Hyderabad Kingsmen in the Pakistan Super League Season 11 final at Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday.
The win secured Zalmi’s second PSL trophy, their first since 2017, and marked a milestone moment for captain Babar Azam, who lifted his maiden major title as skipper.
Chasing a modest 130, Zalmi recovered from a disastrous start to comfortably reach the target with five wickets down and nearly five overs to spare.
The innings began in chaos as Mohammad Ali struck twice in the opening over, dismissing Mohammad Haris and Babar Azam to leave Zalmi reeling.
With pressure mounting, Aaron Hardie took control of the chase. After early setbacks, he stitched a crucial 85-run partnership with Abdul Samad, who played a vital knock of 48.
Hardie remained unbeaten on 56, anchoring the innings with composure and precision to seal victory.
Earlier, Zalmi’s bowlers set the tone by restricting Kingsmen to just 129 in 18 overs after opting to field first.
Kingsmen struggled for momentum despite a fighting 54 from Saim Ayub. A middle-order collapse derailed their innings, with multiple wickets falling in quick succession.
Hardie starred with the ball as well, picking up four wickets for 27 runs in a decisive spell that broke the backbone of Kingsmen’s batting lineup.
Support came from Nahid Rana, who claimed two wickets, while Sufiyan Muqeem and Mohammad Basit chipped in with one each.
Despite a few late partnerships, Kingsmen failed to recover from their collapse and were bundled out short of a competitive total.
This victory caps off a dominant campaign for Zalmi, who showed consistency and resilience throughout the tournament.
For Kingsmen, the defeat ends a remarkable debut run, but their journey to the final signals a promising future.
With Hardie’s all-round heroics and a clinical team effort, Zalmi have once again stamped their authority on the PSL stage, lifting the trophy in style and reigniting their legacy.
