Babar Azam led Peshawar Zalmi to a historic title win on Sunday, sealing his first trophy as captain in the Pakistan Super League and ending the franchise’s nine-year wait for glory.
Babar breaks captaincy drought with Zalmi triumph
Babar, who began his PSL captaincy stint in 2022 with Karachi Kings, finally lifted the title as Zalmi clinched their second championship. The franchise last won in 2017 under Darren Sammy.
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The victory placed Babar among an elite group of PSL-winning captains, becoming the ninth overall and only the second in Zalmi’s history. Shaheen Shah Afridi leads the list with three titles, while names like Misbah-ul-Haq and Sarfaraz Ahmed also feature.
Zalmi secured the title with a five-wicket win over Hyderabad Kingsmen in a high-stakes final at Gaddafi Stadium.
Babar’s decision to field first proved decisive. Zalmi bowled out Kingsmen for 129 in 18 overs despite a fighting half-century from Saim Ayub, who scored 54 off 50 balls with five fours and two sixes.
Hardie and Samad seal memorable chase
Chasing 130, Zalmi stumbled early and slipped to 40 for 4. However, an 85-run partnership between Aaron Hardie and Abdul Samad turned the game.
Samad scored 48 off 34 deliveries before his dismissal, while Hardie remained unbeaten on 56 off 39 balls, hitting nine boundaries. Zalmi reached the target with 28 balls to spare, completing a dominant finish.
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The win capped a remarkable season for Babar, who also dominated the batting charts. He collected 588 runs in 11 innings at an average of 73.50 and claimed the Hanif Mohammad Cap. His tally equaled Fakhar Zaman’s record for most runs in a single PSL edition.
Muqeem shines as Zalmi dominate awards
Zalmi’s success reflected in the individual awards as Sufiyan Muqeem emerged as the Player of the Tournament. The left-arm spinner took 22 wickets in 11 innings at an average of 14.40, earning the Fazal Mehmood Cap.
“My individual performance was good, and so was the team’s,” Muqeem said. “I have worked very hard on my bowling. It was written in the stars for me to be named the best bowler, and I’m very happy with it. Individual awards are very important for a player.”
Babar also secured the Best Batter of the Tournament award, underlining his dominance throughout the campaign.
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Other honors went to Shadab Khan, who won Best All-Rounder after scoring 173 runs and taking 17 wickets, and Kusal Mendis, named Best Wicketkeeper.
Hunain Shah claimed Emerging Player of the Tournament, while Farhan Yousaf won Best Fielder.
Zalmi’s title win and sweep of major awards highlighted their dominance in PSL 11, marking a defining moment in the franchise’s history.
