LAHORE: Former West Indies captain Darren Sammy reacts after Peshawar Zalmi beat Hyderabad Kingsmen to their second title in the PSL 11 Grand Final in a thrilling final at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Pakistan on Sunday.
Sami took to social media platform Instagram, where he re-shared the championship graphic showing the Zalmi players, under the banner “Champions of PSL 11” and tagged the official team handle @peshawarzalmi.pk, along with several clapping emojis, clearly reflecting the moments of appreciation, pride and celebration shared online.
Babar Azam’s long wait for silverware as captain ended in 2026 as he guided Peshawar Zalmi to their second PSL title, marking a memorable turning point in his leadership journey that began with Karachi Kings in 2022.
At the Gaddafi Stadium, Zalmi ended a nine-year title drought since West Indies legend Darren Sammy last led them to PSL glory in 2017, producing a composed and clinical performance in the final against debutants Hyderabad Kingsmen.
Opting to field first, Babbar’s decision proved decisive as the Kingsmen struggled to build momentum and were bowled out for just 129 in 18 overs.
Despite a fighting effort from Saim Ayub who anchored the innings with a patient 54 off 50 balls with 5 fours and 2 sixes, the rest of the batting line-up failed to provide consistent resistance.
Chasing 130, Zalmi faced early pressure and slipped to 40-4, but a crucial recovery led by Aaron Hardy and Abdul Samad turned the game around. The pair put on 85 runs for the fifth wicket and effectively broke the back of the chase.
Samat fell after a blistering 48 off 34 balls, but Hardy managed the innings calmly, finishing unbeaten on 56 off 39 balls with 9 fours, before Zalmi reached the target with 5 wickets to spare with 28 balls to spare.
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