All-rounder Aaron Hardie powers Peshawar Zalmi to PSL 11 title

All-round performance by Aaron Hardie and responsible knock by Abdul Samad helped Peshawar Zalmi beat Hyderabad Kingsmen by five wickets in the final of the PSL 11 and lift the trophy for the second time at the Gaddafi Stadium, here on Sunday night

LAHORE, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th May, 2026) All-round performance by Aaron Hardie and responsible knock by Abdul Samad helped Peshawar Zalmi beat Hyderabad Kingsmen by five wickets in the final of the PSL 11 and lift the trophy for the second time at the Gaddafi Stadium, here on Sunday night.

It is the second title for the Peshawar Zalmi after 2017 when they lifted the trophy under West Indian Darren Sammy. It was Peshawar Zalmi’s fifth final in the Pakistan Super League.

Aaron Hardie 56 not out, adjudged Player of the Match (POTM) for his match-winning all-round performance, and Abdul Samad 48 (34) made light work of the below-par total of 129-10 with 28 balls to spare as they built a partnership of 85 runs for the fifth wicket and took the Zalmi home despite early jitters when they lost three wickets in the power-play including the double wicket opening over.

Peshwar Zalmi had the worst start of their PSL 11 campaign as they lost four wickets in the power-play for 40 runs. Mohammad Haris 6 (3) and Babar Azam 0 (1) fell in the first over of the innings. Zalmi lost yet another wicket in the power-play when in-form Kusal Mendis 9 (8) was dismissed by Hunain Shah in the fourth over with the team total at 33-3 while Bracewell 4 (5) was dismissed in the fifth over of the Zalmi innings.

Aaron Hardie, who was promoted in the batting-order, read the situation well and batted with grit and excelled with the bat and played sheet anchor role to ensure that the Zalmi do not anymore wickets to overhaul the target. Aaron Hardie hit nine boundaries in a quality, mature knock.

Abdul Samad 48 (34) was unlucky to miss his half-century as he miscued a slower bouncer from Mohammad Ali and was caught at deep mid-wicket.

Mohammad Ali was the most successful bowler for the Kingsmen as he grabbed three wickets for 38 runs including a brace in the opening over. Three wickets put him second on the most wicket takers in the HBP PSL 11 with the 21 wickets and only behind Sufiyan Moqim of the Zalmi who was the top wicket-taker with 22 scalps. Hunain Shah and Akif Javed picked one wicket each between them.

Hassan Khan and Saim Ayun remained wicketless.

Ealier, a resolute unbeaten half century by Saim Ayub helped Hyderabad Kingsmen post 129-10 against after they were reduced to 73-6 in the eighth over of the innings. The Kingsmen who had momentum on their hand after winning the two playoffs at the Gaddafi stadium but they could not maintain their winning spree.

Some deft bowling and excellent fielding by the Zalmi as the rampaging Kingsmen wilted under pressure in the crunch game with all-rounder Aaron Hardie claiming four wickets for 27 runs.

The big game pressure took its toll on the Hyderabad Kingsmen batters as one followed the other to the hut. The wickets kept falling at regular intervals around Saim Ayub who stood resolutely in the way of Zalmi bowlers who had payday on Sunday.

Hyderabad innings set off to a fluent start but no batter build a meaningful partnership and only four batters Marnus Labuscagne 20 (12), Maaz Sadaqat 11 (6), Hassan Khan 12 (7) and Saim Ayub 54 (50) could register double-figure score.

Saim Ayub 54 (50) played out of hi s skin to score first half century of the PSL 11 for Kingsmen and take the team total to respectability as they had lost the way when they four wickets in cluster in eight balls during the sixth and seventh overs including those of in-form Usman Khan 8 (6), Irfan Khan 1 (2), Glenn Maxwell 0 (1) and Kusal Perera 1 (2). Two of the batters Irfan Khan and Perera were run out through poor judgement.

Nahid Rana was the other successful bowler for the Zalmi who claimed two wickets for 22 while Sufiyan Moqim and Mohammad Basit picked one wicket each for 23 and 22 runs respectively. Iftikhar Ahmed and Bracewell bowled three overs between them but were not effective.

Babar Azam was declared the Best Batter of the tournament, Sufiyan Moqim was adjudged the Best Bowler while Kusla Mendis was awarded the Best wicket-keeper of the PSL 11.

Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi gave away medals to the runner-up and winner teams of the PSL 11 and the trophy to Peshawar Zalmi captain Babar Azam.