Aaron Hardie delivered a match-winning all-round performance as Peshawar Zalmi defeated Hyderabad Kingsmen by five wickets in the HBL PSL 2026 final at the sell-out Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Sunday. Zalmi's victory secured their second PSL title, ending a nine-year wait since their first triumph in 2017.
How did Peshawar Zalmi win the PSL 2026 final?
Zalmi chased down a modest target of 130 runs, successfully reaching it with five wickets in hand and 28 balls to spare. The chase began poorly as Mohammad Haris and captain Babar Azam fell for just six and zero runs, respectively, in the opening over. However, Aaron Hardie and Kusal Mendis steadied the innings for a brief period.
Hardie found crucial support from Abdul Samad, and together they formed an 85-run partnership that shifted momentum in Zalmi's favor. Samad scored 48 runs off 34 balls, while Hardie remained unbeaten on 56 from 39 deliveries, guiding his team to victory.
What happened in Hyderabad Kingsmen’s innings?
Earlier, Zalmi's decision to field first proved strategic as they restricted the Kingsmen to just 129 runs in 18 overs. The Kingsmen struggled after losing Maaz Sadaqat early in the innings. Saim Ayub and Marnus Labuschagne contributed quick runs, but frequent wickets hindered their progress.
Usman Khan's dismissal initiated a collapse, with the Kingsmen losing three wickets, including two run-outs, in quick succession. Saim Ayub top-scored with a cautious 54 but received little support from the rest of the batting lineup.
Aaron Hardie led the bowling effort with impressive figures of 4/27. Meanwhile, Nahid Rana took two wickets, while Sufiyan Muqeem and Mohammad Basit added one wicket each to the tally.
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