Aaron Hardie played a pivotal role in Peshawar Zalmi’s thrilling five-wicket victory over Hyderabad Kingsmen in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 final at Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday.
Hardie’s all-round performance, which included a crucial four-wicket haul followed by an unbeaten half-century, guided Zalmi to their second PSL title.
This victory ended a nine-year drought for the franchise, having previously won the coveted title in 2017 under the captaincy of West Indies legend Darren Sammy.
It also marked a historic achievement for Babar Azam, who secured his first major trophy as a captain.
Zalmi were set a manageable target of 130 runs and managed to chase it down comfortably, losing just five wickets with 28 balls to spare.
However, the chase started on a shaky note for Zalmi as they lost Mohammad Haris (six) and captain Babar Azam (duck) in the dramatic first over, bowled by Mohammad Ali.
Earlier, Hardie’s four wickets helped Peshawar Zalmi dismantle Hyderabad Kingsmen for just 129 runs with two overs still left in the first innings.
The winning team received a prize of $500,000, while the runners-up was awarded $300,000.
An additional $200,000 prize was awarded to the franchise with the best player development.
This is Peshawar Zalmi’s second PSL title, and first for Babar as a skipper.
Babar, who joined Zalmi in 2022 after representing Karachi Kings from 2017 to 2021, previously led his former side to the PSL title in 2020.
Speaking at a pre-final press conference in Lahore earlier, Babar expressed confidence in his team’s combination and momentum, saying they would aim to execute their plans and deliver a strong performance in the final.
Meanwhile, Hyderabad Kingsmen captain Marnus Labuschagne said his team remained focused on their processes and would stick to their plans in the crucial match.
He noted that confidence and belief were key to success, adding that the team had learned significantly during the tournament and aimed to deliver their best performance in the final.
