The juggernaut keeps moving. Hyderabad Kingsmen stormed into their first ever PSL final with a dramatic two-wicket-margin win over Islamabad United, clinching the thriller by two runs and registering their seventh success in eight matches. The second Eliminator at Lahore looked set to swing either way when the chase came down to a doable ask: United required a six off the last six balls to get over the line. What ultimately decided it was Hyderabad’s ability to squeeze 22 runs from the final over they faced, and then defend that total with composure under pressure. Hunain Shah played the key role at the death, removing Faheem Ashraf after consecutive dot balls and ensuring United were unable to find boundaries when they mattered most. The moment Chris Green failed to finish the job with the last ball, the Kingsmen dugout erupted—players spilling onto the ground in celebration. There were also tears for captain Marnus Labuschagne, who couldn’t hide his emotions after a journey that had been far from smooth earlier in the tournament, when they endured four defeats in as many games and absorbed criticism that followed.
The win sets up Hyderabad’s final showdown against Peshawar Zalmi on Sunday at the same venue. The night began with the Kingsmen taking the first step in their innings, but they lost Maaz Sadaqat right at the start, departing in the opening over itself. Marnus Labuschagne and Saim Ayub steadied the chase for a while, yet after 12 overs the scoreboard read 87/4, leaving the middle and lower order with a clear responsibility to accelerate. Usman Khan took charge with intent, attacking the spinners through sheer power, using his footwork to get to the pitch, and exploiting the crease to open up scoring options. He carved out momentum late in the innings, including a pair of ramp shots against Salman Mirza and then a firm slap over the covers, helping Hyderabad collect 18 runs in the 17th over.
Usman Khan carried on from there, reaching his half-century off 24 deliveries—his third consecutive fifty of the campaign—and lifting his helmet off his head in pure relief and celebration as the milestone landed. Kusal Perera then provided the perfect finishing partner, and the duo combined to post 65 runs in the final five overs, taking the innings to a competitive total. Once Hyderabad’s target was set, Islamabad United had a less than ideal start: Sameer Minhas was dismissed caught in the second over, and Mohsin Riaz fell soon after. After five overs, United were slightly behind the required tempo at 30/2, though they did find the occasional boundary to keep themselves in touch. Still, the chase lost shape quickly as they slipped to 68/4 immediately after the ten-over mark, bringing the need for a late surge into focus.
That surge arrived through Mark Chapman and Haider Ali. A sequence of boundaries kept United afloat for a time, but when Chapman departed, the equation turned unforgiving—United still needed 34 runs off 15 balls. Chris Green then took over and made an immediate impact, striking a couple of fortunate boundaries early on. The turning point came in the penultimate over when Green cleared Mohammad Ali for a crucial six, and Ashraf repeated the moment two balls later, setting up a final over that demanded everything from United. With six required off the last six balls, and with an over-rate penalty hanging in the air after Kingsmen had to bring in an extra fielder, it became a match that United had every chance to win. Yet Hyderabad held their nerve, and the chase ended with United falling just short—precisely the margin that sparked jubilant scenes in the Kingsmen camp.
Brief scores: Hyderabad Kingsmen 186/5 in 20 overs (Usman Khan 61, Marnus Labuschagne 39, Imad Wasim 2-16, Chris Green 1-19) beat Islamabad United 184/7 in 20 overs (Mark Chapman 43, Haider Ali 31, Hunain Shah 2-37, Mohammad Ali 2-44) by two runs.
