NEW DELHI: The Peshawar Zalmi dressing room was hit by an instant wave of emotion as captain Babar Azam soaked in the moment when Farhan Yousaf struck the decisive runs to take Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 glory. Peshawar Zalmi got the better of Hyderabad Kingsmen by five wickets in the final, sealing the title at a loud and lively Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
The PSL 2026 success also became Babar’s first major trophy as a captain, and the intensity of the celebration was captured clearly on camera. In the dugout, the Pakistan skipper was seen fighting back tears as the achievement fully landed.
For Peshawar Zalmi, it was a landmark night on two fronts: their second PSL title overall, and their first since 2017. While Babar had been part of title-winning PSL campaigns before, this marked the first time he lifted the trophy in a leadership role, adding extra weight to the celebrations.
After Babar raised the trophy, the team erupted. Teammates lifted him onto their shoulders and carried him around the ground in a full victory lap, as the celebrations spilled into the stands and concourses.
At the post-match press conference, Babar moved quickly to cool down any talk about him picking and choosing among formats. He reiterated his intention to keep featuring across all three formats and stressed that the responsibility of selecting which version of the game to play does not belong to the individual player—rather, it is about being ready whenever required.
Babar has long been a fixture for Pakistan across formats, but in recent times he has found it harder to maintain consistency. He also endured a quieter stretch that included an understated outing at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup earlier this year.
That said, his title-winning run with Peshawar Zalmi has sparked a return of form. He struck two centuries in 11 matches and ended the tournament as its leading run-getter, finishing with a record-equalling 588 runs.
“My focus is on all three formats. It’s not for the player to decide (which format to skip); a player’s job is to play. In my opinion, every player should play every form of cricket. You shouldn’t focus only on the white ball or T20s. Red-ball cricket gives you immense experience. It teaches you how to build an innings and gives you patience,” Babar said during the PSL 2026 title run press interaction.
He added, “When you play four-day cricket or any domestic circuit, you gain the experience of scoring ‘long’ runs. You should play all three formats because each one helps the other. Red ball helps you in T20s and ODIs. When you play Test matches, the patience and mindset you develop—the art of playing a long innings—benefit you significantly in white-ball cricket.”
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