By Our Correspondent
LAHORE: The final of the 11th edition of the HBL Pakistan Super League turned into a dazzling solo act, as Aaron Hardie delivered a sensational all-round performance to guide Peshawar Zalmi to their second championship on Sunday at the iconic Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
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Zalmi outclassed the debutant Hyderabad Kingsmen by five wickets after electing to field first, comfortably chasing down a modest 130-run target in just 16 overs. This triumph marked their second PSL crown, their first coming in 2017 against the Quetta Gladiators, and placed them alongside Islamabad United and Lahore Qalandars as multiple-time title winners.
The victory was crafted largely by Hardie’s brilliance. He first dismantled the opposition with a four-wicket haul and then anchored the chase with a composed, unbeaten 56 off 39 balls, laced with nine elegant boundaries, earning him the player of the match accolade. Zalmi’s innings, however, began shakily as they slumped to 40 for four inside five overs. Early setbacks saw Muhammad Haris, Kusal Mendis, and skipper Babar Azam dismissed cheaply, the latter departing without scoring.
Rescue came through a match-defining 85-run partnership between Hardie and Abdul Samad, who contributed a vital 48 runs before falling near the boundary. For the Kingsmen, Mohammad Ali impressed with three wickets, while Akif Javed and Hunain Shah chipped in with one apiece.
Earlier, Kingsmen’s innings revolved around Saim Ayub, who struck a fighting 54, but the rest of the lineup faltered against Zalmi’s relentless pace attack. Hardie shone again with the ball, dismissing key figures including Glenn Maxwell for a duck and later removing Ayub. His remarkable feat made him the first player in PSL history to claim a four-wicket haul and score a half-century in a final.
Support came from Nahid Rana, who claimed two wickets including that of captain Marnus Labuschagne, while Sufiyaan Muqeem and Muhammad Basit picked up one each. Labuschagne and Hassan Khan managed 20 and 12 respectively, but seven Kingsmen batters failed to reach double figures.
Zalmi entered the final in dominant form, topping the table with eight wins and just a single defeat. Meanwhile, the Kingsmen’s journey was one of resilience — after losing their first five matches, they staged a remarkable comeback by winning the next five and clinching a thrilling two-run victory over Islamabad United in the eliminator to secure a spot in the grand finale.
