Peshawar Zalmi secured their second Pakistan Super League title with a five-wicket victory over Hyderabad Kingsmen at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. An all-round performance by Aaron Hardie proved decisive as Peshawar chased down a target of 130 with 28 balls to spare on Sunday. Despite a significant collapse early in their innings, Peshawar recovered to claim their first championship since 2017 in front of a capacity crowd.
Choosing to bowl first, Peshawar dismissed the tournament newcomers for 129 in 18 overs. Aaron Hardie led the bowling attack, taking four wickets for 27 runs. Hyderabad had initially started strongly, reaching 69-2 during the powerplay, before losing momentum. Saim Ayub top-scored for the Kingsmen with 54 off 50 balls, but the team suffered a dramatic collapse, losing five wickets for 19 runs.
Peshawar’s bowling effort was further bolstered by the young Bangladesh pacer Nahid Rana. After conceding 13 runs in his opening over, the fast bowler recovered to finish with figures of 2-22, including a maiden. He dismissed Glenn Maxwell for a golden duck with a bouncer and later bowled Hunain Shah with a delivery clocked at 148kph. Sufyan Moqim, the tournament’s leading wicket-taker, also contributed by dismissing Usman Khan for 11.
Peshawar’s run chase began poorly as they slumped to 40-4 within the first five overs. Captain Babar Azam was dismissed for a golden duck, while Mohammad Haris, Kusal Mendis, and Michael Bracewell were out for single-digit scores. However, Aaron Hardie and Abdul Samad shared a match-winning partnership of 85 runs to stabilise the innings. Abdul Samad struck 48 off 34 balls before being caught in the deep with victory in sight.
Aaron Hardie remained unbeaten on 56 from 39 deliveries, including nine boundaries, to secure the title. The win marked a personal milestone for Babar Azam, who finished the competition as the leading run-scorer with 588 runs, equalling the record held by Fakhar Zaman. The Peshawar captain described the victory as a significant achievement for the team and its supporters, noting that every player had executed their assigned plans throughout the tournament.
Hyderabad Kingsmen captain Marnus Labuschagne admitted his side had failed to post an imposing total despite their early aggression. The Kingsmen had reached the final after a remarkable recovery from four consecutive losses at the start of the season. Reflecting on the defeat, Marnus Labuschagne expressed pride in his team’s effort, highlighting their journey from the bottom of the table to the final as a source of great memories despite the result.
