NEW DELHI: Babar Azam marked a career-defining milestone by winning his first-ever T20 trophy as captain, steering Peshawar Zalmi to glory in the Pakistan Super League. Zalmi beat Hyderabad Kingsmen by five wickets in the final at the Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday.
Batting first, Hyderabad Kingsmen were restricted to 129 all out. Aaron Hardie was the standout for Zalmi with figures of 4/27, while Nahid Rana provided crucial support by taking 2/22.
In reply, with a large crowd on hand, Peshawar Zalmi chased down the target comfortably, reaching it in 15.2 overs to lift the title.
Even with the team’s success, Babar had a personal letdown in the final as he was dismissed for a golden duck. Mohammad Ali delivered a wide ball that moved away sharply, and Babar edged a loose shot to the wicketkeeper.
After the match, a clip featuring former Pakistan cricketers quickly went viral. Asked about Babar’s dismissal, Ahmed Shehzad remarked, “Arre dafa karo. Duck pe to badi dafe out hua hai. Lekin mubarak ho Babar Azam ko. Aaj usne apni pehli trophy jeeti hai. Ye important hai. Come on, boys.”
Rashid Latif, who was also present, added: “Mubarak Babar Azam. Paan ka swaad aa gya aaj.”
Despite falling short with the bat in the final, Babar finished the tournament as the top run-getter. He played 11 matches, amassing 588 runs at an impressive average of 73.50. His output included three half-centuries and two centuries, with a strike rate of 145.90.
Most Runs – Pakistan Super League 2026
- Babar Azam (Peshawar Zalmi): 11 matches, 588 runs, HS 103*, Avg 73.50, SR 145.90, 100s 2, 50s 3
- Kusal Mendis (Peshawar Zalmi): 11 matches, 550 runs, HS 109, Avg 55.00, SR 168.19, 100s 1, 50s 5
- Fakhar Zaman (Lahore Qalandars): 8 matches, 407 runs, HS 110, Avg 57.28, SR 151.89, 100s 1, 50s 4
- Usman Khan (Hyderabad Kingsmen): 13 matches, 389 runs, HS 103, Avg 35.36, SR 162.76, 100s 1, 50s 3
- Sahibzada Farhan (Multan Sultans): 10 matches, 380 runs, HS 106*, Avg 42.22, SR 166.66, 100s 1, 50s 2
- Steve Smith (Multan Sultans): 11 matches, 380 runs, HS 106, Avg 34.54, SR 161.70, 100s 1, 50s 3
- Shan Masood (Multan Sultans): 11 matches, 367 runs, HS 69*, Avg 45.87, SR 158.18, 100s 0, 50s 3
- Sameer Minhas (Islamabad United): 11 matches, 498 runs, HS 82*, Avg 38.77, SR 155.80, 100s 0, 50s 3
- Marnus Labuschagne (Hyderabad Kingsmen): 13 matches, 446 runs, HS 61*, Avg 28.66, SR 130.30, 100s 0, 50s 2
- Rilee Rossouw (Quetta Gladiators): 9 matches, 179 runs, HS 79, Avg 39.62, SR 142.79, 100s 0, 50s 4
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