Hardie’s all-round brilliance leads Peshawar to PSL 2026 title

By Cricketing Country | Posted Posted May 04, 2026

Peshawar Zalmi were crowned Pakistan Super League 2026 champions after defeating Hyderabad Kingsmen by five wickets in the final, powered by an outstanding all-round display from Aaron Hardie.

Hardie delivered with both bat and ball, first claiming career-best figures of 4 for 27 to help bundle Kingsmen out for just 129, the lowest total ever recorded in a PSL final.

He then anchored the run chase with an unbeaten 56 off 39 balls, steering his side home despite early setbacks.

Kingsmen made a strong start after being put in to bat, reaching 69 for 2 during the powerplay. Saim Ayub led the charge with a composed 54 off 50 balls, while Marnus Labuschagne chipped in with a quick 20.

However, their innings collapsed dramatically soon after, losing four wickets for just two runs in a span of eight balls, including two run-outs, which derailed their momentum completely.

Hardie was central to the collapse, picking up key wickets in the death overs, including Ayub, as Kingsmen failed to build any significant partnerships and were bowled out well below a competitive total.

In reply, Zalmi suffered an early blow as they slumped to 40 for 4, with Mohammad Ali striking early to remove key batters. But Hardie, along with Abdul Samad, turned the game around with a match-winning 85-run partnership.

Samad played an aggressive knock of 48 off 34 balls, while Hardie held the innings together with calm and control. Although Samad fell late in the chase, Zalmi comfortably crossed the target in the next over to seal victory.

With this triumph, Zalmi secured their second PSL title, having previously won in 2017 and became only the third team to win multiple championships after Islamabad United and Lahore Qalandars.

Despite the defeat, Kingsmen’s journey to the final remained remarkable, as they became the first team in PSL history to reach the playoffs after losing their first four matches of the season.