Hyderabad Kingsmen and Peshawar Zalmi set for PSL 11 final in Lahore

LAHORE: Hyderabad Kingsmen will take on Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 final on Sunday night at Gaddafi Stadium, bringing the league’s 44-match season to a close.

The final pits Marnus Labuschagne’s Kingsmen against Babar Azam’s Zalmi, with Hyderabad chasing a title in what has been described as a fairytale first season, while Peshawar seek their second PSL crown after winning in 2017. Zalmi were also runners-up in the 2018, 2019 and 2021 editions.

For the first time in PSL history, a separate reward structure has been introduced for franchises. The winning franchise will receive $500,000, the runners-up will get $300,000, and the side judged to have made the best player development efforts will earn $200,000. The tournament-winning prize for players will comprise $500,000.

Zalmi arrive with strong league-stage record

Peshawar Zalmi reached the final after winning eight of their 10 league-stage matches, including a seven-match winning streak. Their campaign was driven by Babar’s record tally of 588 runs, Kusal Mendis’ 541 runs and Sufyan Moqim’s 21 wickets.

Zalmi sealed their place in the final by defeating Islamabad United by 70 runs in the Qualifier.

The squad has also been boosted by the return of express fast bowler Nahid Rana, who has rejoined the team and is available for selection. He took seven wickets in four league matches for Zalmi.

Kingsmen recover after difficult start

Hyderabad Kingsmen’s route to the final has been marked by a dramatic turnaround. They opened their campaign with three heavy defeats: by 69 runs against Qalandars, by 40 runs against Gladiators and by six wickets against Sultans.

Their fourth straight loss came against Peshawar Zalmi in a last-ball contest. In that match, Zalmi chased down a target of 146 with four wickets to spare.

After that run, Kingsmen responded with four consecutive wins before suffering a defeat to Islamabad United. They then beat Rawalpindiz by 108 runs in their final league-stage fixture, a result that knocked defending champions Lahore Qalandars out on net run rate.

In the playoffs, Hyderabad eliminated Multan Sultans in Eliminator 1 and then edged Islamabad United by two runs in Eliminator 2 to book their place in the final.

Captains outline final approach

Speaking at the pre-final captains’ press conference, Babar said: “We have played really good cricket in the tournament. Our focus has been on assessing the conditions first and then executing the plans.”

He added: “The performance of our team this season has been a combined effort of the local and overseas players. We hope to win the trophy by giving our best.”

Labuschagne said captaining Hyderabad this season had been an enjoyable experience despite the fluctuations in results.

“There have been certainly ups and downs but I think that’s what makes it so good. [it’s] just another game and we will make sure that we stick to our processes.”

The final will now decide whether Hyderabad can complete a remarkable debut campaign with the title or whether Peshawar Zalmi can add a second PSL trophy to their record.