ISLAMABAD: Peshawar Zalmi defeated Hyderabad Kingsmen by five wickets in the final of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11th edition at Lahore’s Qaddafi Stadium, thanks to Aaron Hardie’s spectacular all-round performance.
Zalmi won the toss and sent in Kingsmen to bat in the game. Hardie’s impressive four-wicket haul helped restrict Hyderabad Kingsmen to 129 runs, with two overs to spare.
Zalmi chased down the 130-run target in 15.2 overs, with Hardie scoring 56 runs not out from 39 deliveries. Abdul Samad hit 48 from 34 balls, while Kusal Mendis scored nine runs.
“YELLOW STORM CLAIMS THE HBL PSL TITLE AFTER NINE YEARS,” read a post on PSL’s official X account after Zalmi won the PSL final for a second time.
Zalmi outclassed Islamabad United by 70 runs in the qualifier on 28 April to secure the ticket for the final, while debutants Kingsmen knocked out Multan Sultans in Eliminator 1 and came from behind to stun Islamabad United by two runs in the Eliminator 2.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi praised fans for their discipline and enthusiasm during the PSL final.
“Cricket fans gave a hearty applause to both the teams and enjoyed the game to the fullest,” he said in a statement.
“The citizens of Lahore proved that they have a great love for the game of cricket.”
Pakistan this week allowed spectators at three PSL playoffs, after barring fans from attending Pakistan’s biggest sports festival in March and relocating fixtures from Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Multan and Peshawar to Lahore and Karachi as part of austerity measures aimed at conserving energy due to the Middle East war.
