LAHORE: Peshawar Zalmi lifted the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) Season 11 trophy after defeating Hyderabad Kingsmen by five wickets in a closely contested final at Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday.
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Chasing a modest target of 130 runs, Zalmi reached the total in the 16th over for the loss of five wickets, sealing the championship in front of a packed stadium.
Aaron Hardie played a match-winning knock, scoring an unbeaten 56 runs, while Abdul Samad contributed a solid 48 before being dismissed. Zalmi’s innings saw early setbacks as key batters struggled to build momentum, including Kusal Mendis (9), Mohammad Haris (6), Michael Bracewell (4), and captain Babar Azam, who was dismissed for a rare duck.
For Hyderabad Kingsmen, Mohammad Ali was the standout bowler with three wickets, while Hunain Shah and Akif Javed picked up one wicket each.
Earlier, Hyderabad Kingsmen were bowled out for 129 in 18 overs after being put into bat. Saim Ayub top-scored with 54 runs, anchoring the innings amid regular wickets. Captain Marnus Labuschagne scored 20, while Hassan Khan (12), Maaz Sadaqat (11), Hunain Shah (9), Usman Khan (8), Akif Javed (5), Irfan Khan (1), Kusal Perera (1), and Glenn Maxwell (0) failed to convert starts into substantial scores.
Zalmi’s bowling attack dominated the innings, with Aaron Hardie claiming four wickets and Naheed Rana taking two. Sufyan Muqeem and Mohammad Basit chipped in with one wicket each to restrict Kingsmen to a below-par total.
The victory marks Peshawar Zalmi’s second PSL title, capping off a thrilling season filled with competitive matches and emerging young talent.
