LAHORE: A fairytale debut meets seasoned ambition under the floodlights of Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday night as the Hyderabad Kingsmen, led by Marnus Labuschagne, prepare to battle Babar Azam’s formidable Peshawar Zalmi in the grand finale of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11.
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) May 2, 2026
With 44 matches culminating in this high-stakes clash, the league’s official nomenclature stands as a testament to Pakistan’s premier cricketing spectacle.
Cricket fans are urged to arrive at the venue by 6:00 PM PKT, as the final will be preceded by a grand closing ceremony scheduled to commence at 6:30 PM PKT.
Record prize money announced
For the first time in PSL history, a separate reward structure has been established for franchises.
The winning franchise will receive USD 500,000, while the runners-up will bag USD 300,000. Additionally, the franchise demonstrating the best player development efforts will earn USD 200,000.
The tournament-winning prize for players also stands at USD 500,000.
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) May 2, 2026
Title chase: Debutants vs former champions
Hyderabad Kingsmen are aiming to cap their remarkable fairy-tale season with the PSL title, while Peshawar Zalmi seek their second championship trophy, having previously won in 2017 and finished as runners-up in 2018, 2019, and 2021.
Zalmi’s dominant run
Powered by Babar Azam’s record-breaking 588 runs, Kusal Mendis’s 541 runs, and Sufyan Moqim’s 21 wickets, Peshawar Zalmi won eight of their ten league matches, including a stunning seven-match winning streak.
They outclassed Islamabad United by 70 runs in the Qualifier on April 28 to secure their spot in the final. Express fast bowler Nahid Rana has also rejoined the Zalmi squad and will be available for selection, having picked up seven wickets in four league matches.
Kingsmen’s rollercoaster journey
Hyderabad Kingsmen endured a nightmare start, losing four consecutive matches, three outright defeats followed by a last-ball thriller against Peshawar Zalmi, who chased down a 146-run target with four wickets in hand.
However, the debutants staged a spectacular turnaround, winning four matches on the trot before stumbling against Islamabad United. They thumped Rawalpindi by 108 runs in their final league game to overtake defending champions Lahore Qalandars on net run rate.
In the playoffs, Kingsmen knocked out Multan Sultans in Eliminator 1 and produced a stunning two-run victory over Islamabad United in Eliminator 2 to reach the final.
𝐓𝐰𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬. 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐲. 🏆
But only one walks away with it, only one writes history.#HBLPSL11 | #NewEra pic.twitter.com/MRHMHvworo
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) May 2, 2026
Pre-final captains’ press conference
Babar Azam – Peshawar Zalmi Captain
“We have played really good cricket in the tournament. Our focus has been on assessing the conditions first and then executing the plans. The performance of our team this season has been a combined effort of local and overseas players. We hope to win the trophy by giving our best. It will also be great to play in front of a jam-packed stadium tomorrow.”
Marnus Labuschagne – Hyderabad Kingsmen Captain
“Leading Hyderabad Kingsmen has been really exciting and I’ve enjoyed every moment. There have been certainly ups and downs, but I think that’s what makes it so good. Tomorrow is just another game, and we will make sure that we stick to our processes.”
Match officials panel for the HBL PSL 11 final between Peshawar Zalmi and Hyderabad Kingsmen.#HBLPSL11 | #NewEra pic.twitter.com/GiZP2zZRhb
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) May 2, 2026
Match officials panel unveiled
Meanwhile, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday announced the match officials for PSL 11 final. Sri Lanka’s Roshan Mahnama, a former member of the ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, will head the Playing Control Team. He has officiated in all 11 PSL seasons, with 129 matches as match referee in the league.
Pakistan’s Ahsan Raza and New Zealand’s Christopher Gaffaney, both current members of the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires, will serve as on-field umpires. They will be supported by fellow ICC Elite Panel umpire Alexander Wharf as third umpire, while Pakistan’s Asif Yaqoob has been named fourth umpire.
Squads
Hyderabad Kingsmen: Marnus Labuschagne (c), Hassan Khan (vc), Usman Khan, Akif Javed, Maaz Sadaqat, Saim Ayub, Mohammad Ali, Kusal Perera, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Shayan Jahangir, Glenn Maxwell, Hammad Azam, Riley Meredith, Sharjeel Khan, Asif Mehmood, Hunain Shah, Rizwan Mehmood, Saad Ali, Tayyab Arif, Maheesh Theekshana, Ahmed Hussain.
Peshawar Zalmi: Babar Azam (c), Sufiyan Muqeem, Abdul Samad, Ali Raza, Aaron Hardie, Aamir Jamal, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Haris, Khalid Usman, Abdul Subhan, Tanzid Hasan, Michael Bracewell, Kusal Mendis, Iftikhar Ahmed, Nahid Rana, Kashif Ali, Shahnawaz Dahani, Farhan Yousuf, Brian Bennett, Mohammad Basit, Shoriful Islam.
