Lahore – Aaron Hardie produced a brilliant bowling display to guide Peshawar Zalmi into a commanding position against Hyderabad Kingsmen in the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 final at Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday.
According to Beyond Time News, Zalmi restricted Kingsmen to just 129 runs with two overs remaining in the first innings. Hardie led the attack with a four-wicket haul and broke the backbone of the batting lineup.
Zalmi now need 130 runs to win the PSL 11 title.
Babar Azam, Zalmi’s captain, won the toss and chose to field first. The decision quickly paid off as Zalmi’s bowlers kept constant pressure on the opposition.
Saim Ayub played a fighting knock of 54 runs, but Kingsmen struggled to build partnerships. No other batter managed to settle against Zalmi’s disciplined attack.
Hardie removed key players, including Glenn Maxwell for a duck and Saim Ayub after his half-century. His spell turned the match firmly in Zalmi’s favor.
Nahid Rana also made an impact after joining the squad in place of Khurram Shehzad. He picked up two important wickets, including Kingsmen captain Marnus Labuschagne.
Sufiyan Muqeem and Mohammad Basit added one wicket each to keep the pressure on.
Read more:Babar’s Century Powers Zalmi Into PSL Final
Labuschagne scored 20 runs, while Hassan Khan contributed 12. Apart from these efforts, Kingsmen failed to reach double figures consistently.
Zalmi entered the final in strong form after defeating Islamabad United by 70 runs in the first playoff. The team has already won eight matches in the tournament and finished at the top of the table, losing only once.
Kingsmen, one of the new franchises this season, fought back strongly during the league stage. They won five straight matches after a poor start and secured their place in the final with a narrow win over Islamabad United in the eliminator.
Zalmi now stand one step away from their second PSL title, after their first triumph in 2017.
