Peshawar Zalmi vs Hyderabad Kingsmen, Final, Pakistan Super League 2026 - CommentaryPSZ vs HYDK, Final, Pakistan Super League 2026 - Commentary

Another season of the PSL comes to an end. Time to bring down the curtains on this one. Hope you have enjoyed our coverage of this one, as much as we did in bringing it to you. This is Abhinav Guha Thakurta saying bye bye on behalf of our hard-working scorer - Siva - who's already half-asleep. Remember to sleep tight, take care and have a smile on your face always. See you soon. Good night.

The rain coming down even as Peshawar celebrate. Nothing can stop them tonight. Nothing could stop them throughout this tournament. They just lose one game throughout the tournament whole. And they were the side to beat. Richly deserved winners this Peshawar side. Babar had a tournament to remember as he amassed runs and finished as the highest run-getter. Hyderabad on the other hand lost four in a row to start the tournament and then went on a run which took them all the way to the final. A spirited bunch led by Marnus, they faltered in the final. But still a tourmament to remember for them as they are debuting as a franchise. Even in the final, defending a low score, they fought gallantly. So full marks to the way they bounced back from a shocking run, with the highlight being their win over Islamabad in Eliminator 2 when Hunain defended 5 in the final over.

The PSL trophy is presented to Babar and he is all smiles as he hoists it high above his head. Then the team joins in for the photos. A champions hoarding is in front of them as the fireworks and confetti rain down on them. A delighted bunch and the celebrations will go on throughout the night for sure.

Babar Azam | PZ captain (translated from Urdu): This is quite an achievement for me, and I think for Peshawar Zalmi and all the fans too. I think throughout the tournament, as a team, we performed very well in all three departments, and we tried to enjoy cricket. Every player executed the plan given to them in all three departments: batting, bowling, and fielding. Our plan was to take it match by match, and we would go into the final and by the grace of god we won tonight. (on the planning) Look, the management always, whenever we had match-to-match discussions, we tried to extract good things and bad things from them and talk about them. And I think the management played a very good role in talking to each player individually, even during the match. So we are trying to take it match by match, absolutely. We win a match, we try to get ready for the next match as quickly as possible because we also played back-to-back matches, we played four matches in six days. But in that, our goal was to give our best. (on his form) Yes, absolutely. I had tried to get my previous form back. Unfortunately, I couldn't perform that way, but in this PSL, I tried to give my best, and it happened.

Marnus Labuschagne | HK captain: "A few things didn't go our way. As a batting group, we probably left a few runs out there. We showed once again that belief in the side and what we can do putting sides under pressure, having them 4 for 40, but just not enough runs on the board tonight. (on the season) I think tonight hurts, obviously, but reflecting on what an amazing season and what a tournament we've put together, coming from four losses down to winning four in a row, getting bowled out for 80, then winning by a hundred, and then winning two games to get into the final, defending six. We've made so many great memories. I'm just so proud of the team, and it's been an awesome effort. (enjoyed captaincy?) Yeah, I really did. Was really excited about the opportunity and challenge myself in a different environment. I've just really enjoyed getting to know the players, the owners, the support staff, and just doing it collectively and as a team, I think, it's really exciting to see what this team has built in such a short period of time, and hopefully there's some really amazing things to come."

Turn of the runners-up to collect their medallions and the cash prize. Then it's the turn of the winners to do the same.

Sufiyan Muqeem | Player of the Tournament (translated from Urdu): Individual performance was good, and the team's performance was also good, which led us to win the tournament. And in the situation, I was bowling at that time, it was Usman Khan at the crease, so in my mind, it was just that I had to get him out as soon as possible. He was playing the spinners well, I thought I should do better than him. If he's a good player, I thought I'm a good spinner too and I got him out. (on this season) I was working hard. I topped the last departmental tournament and I topped here too. Due to the grace of god, it was written in my destiny that I should be the best bowler and player of the tournament. (how important is this award?) Any award is is very important as a player, and I would like to dedicate this award to the late Dr. Abdul Qadir Khan.

Aaron Hardie | Player of the Match: "Yeah, it's been great. Everyone involved, all the players, the coaching staff, the owners, the directors, couldn't have asked for a better team to start my PSL journey, so super grateful to be part of the Zami and get to know everyone. And it's been, we've had great fun. Obviously had a really successful season, which has been great. But yeah, absolutely, it was a great, great bunch of boys to be involved with. (on learning to play in these conditions) Yeah, absolutely. I've spent a fair bit of time in the subcontinent, but haven't played too much, so to be able to come over here and get a nice run into the finals has been awesome. So thanks to the coaching staff for sort of trusting me with the game time. But yeah, to be able to learn off legends of the game that we've got in our team and, you know, fellow players who have done so well in these conditions, it's been a great learning curve. I've thoroughly enjoyed it."

Time for the post-match presentations. A whole host of awards being given away. As expected, this is going to to be a long presentation ceremony.

Nahid Rana: I really enjoyed it. Last year I came but didn't play. This year I came and I really enjoyed. I was happy to execute my plans. I wanted to put up an impactful performance to help my team. I executed my plans so I'm happy.

Aaron Hardie: "Yeah, great game. I mean, it was just a great game of cricket, really. Kingsmen came out the blocks really hard. They certainly have a lot of momentum from the last couple of games, so they carried that in. But really proud of the way the boys were able to fight back. They had a great powerplay. We were certainly expecting to, at one point, chase a quite a big total, so credit to the boys who have done the whole tournament. Sufiyan came in and got some big wickets. This bloke (Nahid Rana) came back and bowled rockets again. We're stoked with the result and super proud of all the boys. (on how good is Nahid Rana?) Yeah, absolutely. I mean, he came off the plane three days ago. I think he still bowled fast today. When he was up and running in Karachi, bowling 151. Horrible for batsmen. So I know he's got Test cricket in a week. I know Babar is not looking forward to facing him. So friendly rivalry there. But absolutely, I can see him going around, travelling around, playing. I mean, any competition around the world welcomes someone of his calibre. So absolutely, very excited for you."

Iftikhar Ahmed | Translated from Urdu: Yes, absolutely. We also had a very strong team back in 2017. This time as well, I think the team we’ve built is excellent. The credit goes to Misbah bhai and Akram bhai for the way they’ve put together the combination. You have fast bowlers, strong middle-order batsmen, a solid top order, and finishers. When you have so many well-balanced options in your squad in T20s, your chances of qualifying and becoming champions increase.

Ali Raza | Translated from Urdu: (on the overall performance) The credit goes to my hard work and to the PCB for the way they handled my rehabilitation. The PCB doctors, who are also associated and Aaqib bhai (Aaqib Javed) the head of the National Cricket Academy, took great care of me. They supported me and kept building my confidence. (on having the support of coaches and seniors) The bowling coaches there, like Wahab bhai, Rehan bhai, and working here with Azhar bhai and Akram bhai - it feels really good. I would especially like to give credit to Amir bhai; I stayed in touch with him during this tournament, and with Haris bhai as well. And I especially want to credit Mohammad Asif. He called me one day, and I also spoke to Mohammad Zahid. They supported me and said that I’m looking very good and that they are enjoying watching my bowling. They said it’s a good sign for Pakistan. When such big legends support you and take your name, things become much easier for you. I just believe in my hard work and keep working hard, and, things will get even better.

Ottis Gibson | Peshawar Zalmi head coach: "Look, from the start, we sat down and we decided how we wanted to play, how we wanted to approach the tournament. I have to give a lot of credit to the players, the way that they've approached it. We've only lost one game. We've been consistent the whole way through. And, tonight we put ourselves under some pressure in the powerplay, but we know that we've got enough batting depth that we can go and win like we've done tonight, you know. But it's been an outstanding team effort from everybody. I'm so pleased and so proud for everybody. The ownership of the franchise, we haven't won it for a long time. So, yeah, this is a big moment for us. (was he worried when they were four-down?) No, not really. Maybe frustrated more than worried because I know how well we batted in the tournament and that wasn't a typical sort of Zalmi batting performance that we've seen this tournament so far. But like I said, I knew that we had quality players in the hut that can do the job. We just made harder for ourselves. But at the end, we got there in the end and it's very pleasing. (on Babar) Look, he's amazing. He's bought into everything that we've been talking about. The way he's been playing, the way he's took responsibility for the team. He's got two hundreds in the tournament. He's got over 500 runs. Fantastic captain, he listens well, he understands how we are trying to approach the game. And he's obviously just box office. For the crowd to come in and see him tonight. He has made hundreds when there was nobody in. It's a shame that he didn't get some runs tonight so that the crowd would go home happy. But I hope they'll still go home happy because obviously we've won the tournament and I think we fully deserved to win it, to be honest."

Michael Bracewell: "It's hard to put into words at the moment. Beautiful feeling. Obviously, the way Hardie batted out there was outstanding. But it's been an amazing comp the whole way through. Everyone's stepped up at different times and it feels like a real team win this one. (busted lip) I will take that. That's part of the course. Don't even feel it. So beautiful. (on how Ottis Gibson is as a coach?) It's been brilliant. The whole coaching staff have been complementing each other really well, I think. Different styles and it gelled really well. And I think it showed in our performance. We were able to keep consistency through the team and consistency in our performance as well, which is outstanding. And I think we'd be remiss not to mention the crowd tonight. Obviously, a little bit unfortunate not having the crowds here throughout the tournament. But to have an amazing crowd like tonight and how loud it was, it certainly makes it very special."

Abdul Samad | Translated from Urdu: Yes, we are really enjoying it. My role in the team is as a finisher - the management has given me this responsibility. Today, after quite a while, I got a chance because I wasn’t getting to bat earlier. So I was trying that whenever I get an opportunity, I should win the game for my team. I got out for 48 but overall it has been very good. (when you walked in it was a pressure situation) Yes, exactly. I was confident, and I told Misbah bhai I will go in. He said, take care I said, I'll do it. (overall journey this season) And overall, the journey with the team has been excellent. This was my second year, and the first was also very good. This year has been great as well because, we have won - so I’m very happy.

A word for Aaron Hardie - what a final he has had. Four-fer and then a calm unbeaten 50 to steer his side home. First player who has taken a four-fer and hit a fifty in a PSL final. A day to remember for him. Live visuals show that Babar being hoisted on the shoulder of one of his team-mate as the Peshawar side do a lap of honor of the ground.

23:45 Local Time, 18:45 GMT, 00:15 IST: Peshawar are the champs for the 2nd time. Their first title since 2017. They had lost three finals after that. First trophy win as skipper for Babar in the PSL. The target was a small one but Hyderabad fought. Mohammad Ali gave Hyderdabad hope with two wickets in the opening over including that of Babar first ball. Hardie though launched a counter-attack and put the pressure back on. Two more wickets fell in quick succession - that of Kusal Mendis and Bracewell. At that stage, Hyderabad were on fire but the stand between Hardie and Samad calmed things and then it was easy towards the end when the boundaries came regularly. Once the initial tricky phase was seen off, the stand grew in strength. Hyderabad just didn't have enough on the board and another 40-50 runs would've certainly helped. There's a lot of flash interviews happening out there. We will bring all of them to you. As well as the post-match presentation. Stay tuned...