Report By Maqsood Ahmed.
Peshawar Zalmi defeated Hyderabad Kingsmen by 5 wickets in the final to win the Pakistan Super League (PSL) Season 11 title for the second time.
In the final played at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, Peshawar Zalmi won the toss and elected to field first.
Batting first, Hyderabad Kingsmen struggled against Zalmi’s bowling attack and were bowled out for 129 runs in 18 overs.
Saim Ayub was the top scorer for Hyderabad Kingsmen with 54 runs, registering the first half-century of the event. Captain Marnus Labuschagne scored 20 runs, while Moaz Sadaqat made 11 and Hassan Khan contributed 12 runs. Irfan Niazi and Kusal Perera managed just 1 run each, Glenn Maxwell was dismissed for a duck, and Hunain Shah scored 9 runs.
For Peshawar Zalmi, Aaron Hardie was the standout bowler, taking 4 wickets for 27 runs, while Nahid Rana picked up 2 wickets for 22 runs.
In response, Zalmi faced early setbacks. Captain Babar Azam was dismissed for a duck, Haris scored 6, Kusal Mendis made 9, and Bracewell managed only 4 runs. Zalmi were struggling at 40 for 4.
However, Aaron Hardie (56* not out) and Abdul Samad (48) turned the game around with a crucial partnership, guiding their team to victory.
Peshawar Zalmi chased down the target of 130 runs in the 16th over with 5 wickets in hand.
Aaron Hardie delivered an outstanding all-round performance, taking 4 wickets and scoring an unbeaten 56 runs in the final.
For Hyderabad Kingsmen, Mohammad Ali took 3 wickets.
a colorful closing ceremony was held before the match, featuring performances by renowned singers Atif Aslam, Ali Azmat, Arif Lohar, Aima Baig, and the Sabri Sisters, entertaining the crowd.