LAHORE: Peshawar Zalmi and Babar Azam won their second Pakistan Super League title when the Ottis Gibson-coached side ended Hyderabad Kingsmen’s Cinderella run at the home of Pakistan cricket on Sunday.

Put in to bat on a good pitch in front of a festive Gaddafi Stadium, Kingsmen plummeted from 51 for two in 4.4 overs to 129 all out in 18 overs — the second lowest total in a PSL final. In reply, Zalmi, after losing Mohammad Haris and Babar Azam in the opening over, recovered to achieve victory for the loss of five wickets in 15.2 overs.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa side lifted the glittering trophy and collected a prize purse of $1million, of which $500,000 will go to the players. Kingsmen received $300,000.

This was Zalmi’s first title since 2017 and Babar Azam’s second PSL trophy — his first as captain — having won his maiden title with Imad Wasim-led Karachi Kings in 2020. Despite a golden duck in the final, Babar matched his side’s consistency (played 12 matches, lost one) throughout the tournament by topping the batting charts with 588 runs at a strike rate of 146. In 2020, he also top-scored with 473 runs at a strike rate of 124.

While it was young Sufyan Moqim who triggered Kingsmen’s collapse by pinning Usman Khan in front of the wickets at the score of 71 in the seventh over, the evening belonged to Aaron Hardie. The 27-year-old Australian returned figures of 4-0-27-4 and then scored an unbeaten 56 — his maiden PSL half-century — when Zalmi were seven for two and subsequently 40 for four in 4.5 overs. He was named Player of the Final.

Hardie broke Kingsmen’s back with the ball, claiming the scalps of Marnus Labuschagne (20), Hassan Khan (12), Saim Ayub (54) and Akif Javed (5). With the bat, he struck nine fours in a composed 39-ball knock that belied the pressure of the occasion.

Hardie added 85 priceless runs off 61 balls for the fifth wicket with Abdul Samad, who was dismissed five runs short of victory after scoring an impressive 48 off 34 balls with three fours and four sixes. After Babar Azam and Kusal Mendis had between them scored 1,138 runs during the tournament, there had been concerns about Zalmi’s middle-order depth. Hardie and Samad emphatically dispelled those concerns with title-winning performances.

Sufyan Moqim finished with figures of 4-0-23-1 and capped a remarkable tournament by walking away with the Player of the Tournament award — the most successful bowler of PSL 2026 with 22 wickets at an economy rate of 7.20.

Nahid Rana was the other unsung hero of Zalmi’s triumph. The Bangladesh fast bowler, returning for this match only, dismissed Glenn Maxwell and Hunain Shah to finish with two for 22.

Kingsmen’s Saim Ayub finally found his form in PSL 2026 at the least opportune moment — a 50-ball 54 with five fours and two sixes that helped his side to only 129.

Jason Gillespie’s Hyderabad Kingsmen demonstrated their never-say-die spirit when they had Zalmi against the wall after Mohammad Ali sent Mohammad Haris and Babar Azam back in the first over of the run-chase. Akif Javed then removed Mendis before Hunain Shah dismissed Michael Bracewell, reducing Zalmi to 40 for four.

However, that was the last time Kingsmen smiled. Hardie and Samad showcased their temperament, skill and match-winning quality to carry their side home with two of the finest knocks of the entire tournament.

If PSL 2026 will be remembered for Zalmi’s tremendous consistency and match-winning ability (10 victories, one loss, one wash-out), it will equally be remembered for Kingsmen’s courageous and gutsy campaign.

The first-timers were down and out when they lost their first four matches, were bowled out for 80 in their ninth league stage and needed to win by 86 runs or more in their final league match to qualify for the play-offs. In the play-offs, they defeated higher-ranked Multan Sultans and Islamabad United before falling at the final hurdle to the tournament’s most dominant side.

Scores in brief:

Match 44 (final) – Peshawar Zalmi beat Hyderabad Kingsmen by five wickets, Lahore

HYDERABAD KINGSMEN 129, 18 overs (Saim Ayub 54; Marnus Labuschagne 20, Hassan Khan 12, Maaz Sadaqat 11; Aaron Hardie 4-27, Nahid Rana 2-27, Mohammad Basit 1-22, Sufyan Moqim 1-23)

PESHAWAR ZALMI 130-5, 15.2 overs (Aaron Hardie 56 not out, Abdul Samad 48; Mohammad Ali 3-38)

PLAYER OF THE FINAL – Aaron Hardie (Peshawar Zalmi)

PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT – Sufyan Moqim (Peshawar Zalmi)

BATTER OF THE TOURNAMENT – Babar Azam (Peshawar Zalmi, 588 runs)

BOWLER OF THE TOURNAMENT – Sufyan Moqim (Peshawar Zalmi, 22 wickets)

FIELDER OF THE TOURNAMENT – Farhan Yousaf (Peshawar Zalmi)

ALL-ROUNDER OF THE TOURNAMENT – Shadab Khan (Islamabad United)

EMERGING PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT – Hunain Shah (Hyderabad Kingsmen)

WICKETKEEPER OF THE TOURNAMENT – Kusal Mendis (Peshawar Zalmi)

SPIRIT OF CRICKET AWARD – Hyderabad Kingsmen