Babar Azam will captain Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 final against Hyderabad Kingsmen, carrying the kind of form that gives his side a real shot at lifting the title again. The 31-year-old right-hander, who tasted PSL success with Karachi Kings six years ago, has once more emerged as the tournament’s most dangerous batter and now faces a final test on the biggest stage.
Key takeaways
- Babar Azam is set to lead Peshawar Zalmi in the PSL 2026 final against Hyderabad Kingsmen.
- He topped the PSL 2026 run charts with 588 runs from 10 matches.
- Before the final, Babar said he would address any future Pakistan captaincy decision only if and when the situation arises.
- Peshawar Zalmi stayed unbeaten in their first nine PSL 2026 games, winning eight and having one match abandoned versus Islamabad United.
- Babar’s PSL numbers include an average of 84 and a strike rate of 146.26, along with two centuries in the season.
Babar Azam’s captaincy stance ahead of the final
With the PSL 2026 final approaching, reporters asked Babar whether he would be willing to step back into the role of Pakistan captain if his side wins the trophy. His response was measured and direct, indicating that the matter should be handled when it actually comes up, while emphasizing that his immediate priority is the franchise final.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of the championship match, Babar said that captaincy is a separate issue at the moment and that he is focused solely on the PSL 2026 final. He added that if a relevant situation arises later, he will always act in a way that best serves Pakistan cricket.
Pakistan captaincy history and the PSL 2026 impact
Babar’s first stint as Pakistan captain concluded in 2023 when he stepped down after the team’s exit from the World Cup. Not long after, he was handed the captaincy again. That second term ended following Pakistan’s group-stage elimination at the T20 World Cup 2024.
In the run-up to PSL 2026, Babar faced heavy criticism for performances that fell short during the 2026 T20 World Cup. There were also doubts around a change in batting order, with the move to bat at No.4 not producing the desired effect. However, the right-hander has responded strongly in this PSL edition, stringing together a series of big-impact displays that have helped silence many of his critics.
Who could lead Pakistan next?
Questions about Pakistan’s leadership have intensified after the side failed to reach the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup earlier this year. Several observers have debated whether Salman Ali Agha is the right fit to captain the team, with many believing the spin-bowling all-rounder may not be the ideal choice and that a change in leadership could be on the cards.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Rizwan’s Rawalpindiz and Shaheen Shah Afridi’s Lahore Qalandars also missed out on the PSL 2026 playoffs, but Babar’s Peshawar Zalmi found a pathway all the way to the final.
How Peshawar Zalmi reached the PSL final
Peshawar Zalmi began their PSL 2026 campaign in dominant fashion, remaining unbeaten in their first nine matches. They won eight of those fixtures and had their game against Islamabad United abandoned.
From there, the team raised the intensity in the knockout stage, putting in a commanding performance to beat Islamabad United by 70 runs in the Qualifier.
Babar’s PSL 2026 numbers and landmark feats
Babar’s 588 runs in PSL 2026 have come at an average of 84, with a strike rate of 146.26. The total has already matched Fakhar Zaman’s record for the most runs in a single PSL season. He has also become only the second batter after Usman Khan to hit two centuries in the same PSL campaign.
