By Alam Zeb Safi
LAHORE: Aaron Hardie’s all-round performance enabled Peshawar Zalmi to reclaim the crown when they conquered Hyderabad Kingsmen by five wickets in the low-scoring final of the HBL PSL 11 at the Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday night.
Hardie starred with the ball by taking 4-27 in his quota of four overs to help Zalmi fold Kingsmen for only 129.
And Hardie then blasted 56 not out, his maiden fifty of the season in his sixth innings, to help Zalmi chase the target in 15.2 overs after losing five wickets in the process.
This is the second title from Zalmi as their previous had come in 2017, in the second edition, when they had downed Quetta Gladiators by 58 runs in the final at the Gaddafi Stadium Lahore under the captaincy of West Indies great Darren Sammy.
Chasing a low total Zalmi were found struggling as they lost two early wickets when Mohammad Ali got rid of both openers Mohammad Haris (6) and Babar Azam (0) in the first over of the innings to leave them reeling at 7-2.
Aaron Hardie was promoted and he along with Kusal Mendis tried to resurrect the innings but it could not be done as Hunain Shah sent Mendis back, held by Maaz Sadaqat at point for nine. Mendis hit two fours from eight balls and Zalmi were 33-3 in the fourth over. Akif Javed, left-armer, then got rid of Michael Bracewell (4) to leave Zalmi gasping at 40-4 in the fifth over.
At this stage Abdul Samad joined Hardie. And both did the job by sharing 85 runs for the fifth wicket stand to put their team on the brink of a title win.
Mohammad Ali broke this key partnership when he had Samad, held in the deep by Glenn Maxwell. Samad struck four sixes and three fours in his 34-ball 48.
Hardie, who completed his fifty off 35 balls, finished the match after smacking nine fours in his 39-ball 56 not out as Zalmi closed at 130-5 in 15.2 overs.
Mohammad Ali was the pick of the bowlers with 3-38 in his quota of four overs while Akif Javed (1-29) and Hunain Shah (1-26) took one wicket apiece.
In front of the jam-packed venue Hardie took 4-27 in his quota of four overs while Nahid Rana, who had specifically returned to join the side for the finale, claimed 2-22, to destroy Kingsmen despite taking a rapid start.
After being put into bat Kingsmen were 69-2 in the powerplay. However, a major collapse blew their chances of posting a fighting total on the board. Saim Ayub fought a lone battle but he also departed off the first ball of the 18th over which left Kingsmen massively damaged. This is also the lowest total scored by a team while batting first in the PSL finals history.
Zalmi started with spinner Iftikhar Ahmed who conceded 11 runs in the first over. After a brisk start Mohammad Basit provided an early breakthrough to Zalmi when he had Maaz Sadaqat (11), held at square-leg by Abdul Samad. The left-hander, who just flicked it, wanted to use the pace of the ball but could not succeed, hit one six and a four from six balls.
Saim Ayub joined skipper Marnus Labuschagne and the duo tried to score runs rapidly and added 35 for the second wicket stand. It was Aaron Hardie who had Labuschagne who edged it to Mohammad Haris behind the stumps. Labuschagne scored 12-ball 20 with three fours and a six.
Usman Khan (8), who had a fine few matches, also failed to click at a major stage when he was trapped lbw off spinner Sufiyan Muqeem to leave Kingsmen at 71-3 in the seventh over. And from here collapse began that broke the back of Kingsmen.
Irfan Khan (1) got run out and off the first ball of the next over Nahid Rana got rid of Glenn Maxwell (0) before Kusal Perera (1) got run out in the same over to leave Kingsmen reeling at 73-6 in the eighth over.
US-based Hassan Khan came out to join Saim Ayub and it was expected that he would back his senior partner to go deep but it did not happen. Hassan was removed by Aaron Hardie, held by Kusal Mendis brilliantly in the deep after he hit a seven-ball 12 which featured one six and one four.
And Kingsmen were 90-7 in the tenth over. Nahid Rana added to Kingsmen’s misery when he clean-bowled Hunain Shah (9) after the right-hander hit one six in his 12-ball brief stay at the crease.
Saim Ayub was expected to bat till the end but Aaron Hardie got rid of him for a 50-ball 54. Saim, who completed his first fifty of the season off 42 balls, smashed two sixes and five fours.
Hardie then removed Akif Javed (5) to fold Kingsmen for 129 in 18 overs.
Mohammad Basit (1-22) and Sufiyan Muqeem (1-23) also backed their frontline pacers Nahid and Hardie.
Kingsmen, owned by the US-based cricket lover and businessman Fawad Sarwar, were one of the two debutants the other being Rawalpindiz, in this edition. Kingsmen had a poor start to the season when they lost their initial four games on trot. However they made a stunning fightback, winning five of the next six league games to qualify for the playoffs after they put out holders Lahore Qalandars on the basis of net run rate.
They went on to beat Multan Sultans and Islamabad United in the two eliminators to make it to a historic final on debut.
In the Eliminator 2 a magical final over from Hunain Shah helped Kingsmen down United by just two runs. Defending six runs he conceded just three runs to capture the victory from the jaws of a seemingly certain defeat.
Zalmi’s journey was superb as they just lost one game against Quetta Gladiators, a match which they narrowly lost.
Summarised scores
Hyderabad Kingsmen 129 all out in 18 overs (Saim Ayub 54, Marnus Labuschagne 20, Aaron Hardie 4-27, Nahid Rana 2-22
Peshawar Zalmi 130-5 in 15.2 overs
Aron Hardie 56 not out, Abdul Samad 48, Mohammad Ali 3-38
Aaron Hardie (Man of the final)
