PSL 2026: Babar Azam's Peshawar Zalmi end title drought, Hyderabad Kingsmen falter in final

PSL 2026: Peshawar Zalmi went on to win their first title since 2017, and also happens' to be Babar Azam's first as skipper.

The long, agonising wait for Peshawar Zalmi, to lift a trophy has finally ended, as they emerged victorious in the PSL 2026 final, after beating worth opponents, debutants Hyderabad Kingsmen by 5 wickets. In a chase of 130, the pressure of the final was visible, but Babar Azam’s team finally managed to win a championship after 2017.

Peshawar overcome challenge in style

And it took a superhuman effort from the entire team — who just lost one match throughout the season. Peshawar were impeccable. After losing three early wickets — Babar, Mohammad Haris and the in form Kusal Mendis, it took a special innings from Aaron Hardie (56 from 39) and Abdul Samad (48 from 34), to do the repair work, and take the team across the finish line.

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That meant, after being reduced to 33/3, they had enough fire power in the team, to do the job. A partnership of 85 sealed the deal, and the way to the trophy. But the real work was done by the bowling unit, where Hardie (4/27), Nahid Rana (2/22), and Sufiyan Muqeem (1/23), put the brakes on scoring — when they were going at 71/2.

From there on, 4 wickets were lost for just two runs, as Saim Ayub (54 from 50), kept running out of partners. No one could partner him to build the innings; and that is where the championship was lost. One can go back to Muqeem’s 7th over, which produced two wickets, and that is where the momentum shift happened.

Babar Azam the real star

This victory is huge, not just for Peshawar, but in some sense for Pakistan as well, which announces the arrival of Babar Azam in some brilliant form. The skipper ended as the highest run-getter in the tournament, despite failing in the final, and scored 588 at an average of 73 and a strike rate of 145, including two tons.

The 31-year-old had been going through poor international form, including bad performances in T20 World Cup; but can return to the T20I side, much more confident, and with greater responsibility. In hindsight, he might have also cracked the formula of winning PSL titles — emerge as the highest run-scorer and win. That happened in the 2020 season with Karachi Kings as well, where he got 473.

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The contribution of Sufiyan Muqeem

One must not forget the contribution of this 26-year-old wrist spinner — the highest wicket-taker. He had 22 scalps to his name in 14 encounters, at an average of 14. He made all the difference, perhaps in all the matches, and handed Peshawar the advantage. His guile and spin were not easy to negotiate. In the end, just one loss in the entire campaign; one can truly say, Peshawar were the deserved winners.