Allround Hardie helps Peshawar Zalmi clinch PSL title

Aaron Hardie's stunning allround display headlined Peshawar Zalmi's second PSL triumph as they beat Hyderabad Kingsmen by five wickets in the final on Sunday (May 3) in Lahore. Hardie became the first player in tournament history to take four wickets and score a half-century in a final as Zalmi chased down the target with 28 balls to spare.

Zalmi opted to bowl first but saw Maaz Sadaqat start with a six off his first delivery. The fast start was cut short when Sadaqat was removed in the next over. Saim Ayub then went on a boundary spree as Kingsmen reached 50 in 4.3 overs. Hardie dismissed Marnus Labuschagne in his first over, but Kingsmen still held control at 69/2 after the Powerplay.

The game turned dramatically from there. Four wickets fell in nine balls, including two needless runouts, as 69/2 became 73/6. Ayub curbed his instincts to bat deep and brought up his first fifty of the season before becoming Hardie's third victim. Hardie closed out the innings with another wicket as Kingsmen were bowled out for 129 with two overs to spare.

In reply, Mohammad Ali struck early with Mohammad Haris dismissed third ball and Babar Azam for a golden duck. Hardie counter-punched with three fours in the second over. Kusal Mendis started well but fell to Hunain Shah, and Akif Javed claimed Michael Bracewell. At 39/4, Zalmi's hopes were quivering.

Hardie rounded off the Powerplay with three more boundaries while Abdul Samad hit sixes in successive overs. By the halfway mark, Zalmi had knocked off 79 runs. Hardie brought up a fine fifty off 35 balls to put the game beyond Kingsmen's reach. Samad fell after hitting a four and six, but Zalmi needed just three more deliveries to complete formalities and lift the title.

Brief scores: Hyderabad Kingsmen 129 in 18 overs (Saim Ayub 54; Aaron Hardie 4-27, Nahid Rana 2-22) lost to Peshawar Zalmi 130/5 in 15.2 overs (Aaron Hardie 56*, Abdul Samad 48; Mohammad Ali 3-38) by 5 wickets