LAHORE: Peshawar Zalmi’s Aaron Hardie produced a historic all-round performance to guide his side to victory in the PSL 11 final against Hyderabad Kingsmen at Gaddafi Stadium.
He achieved a unique milestone by becoming the first player in T20 franchise league history to take four wickets and score more than 50 runs in a final.
Hardie played a decisive role in Zalmi’s five-wicket win, first leading the bowling attack and then anchoring the chase under pressure. After captain Babar Azam opted to field, Hardie delivered an outstanding spell, finishing with figures of 4/27 in four overs to restrict Kingsmen to 129 in 18 overs.
In response, Zalmi suffered an early collapse, slipping to 40-4 within the first four overs against a disciplined Kingsmen pace attack. Hardie, however, remained composed and turned the match around with a crucial innings.
He scored an unbeaten 56 off 39 balls, striking nine boundaries, to steer Zalmi to victory with 28 balls to spare. His performance proved pivotal in securing the franchise’s second PSL title.
The 27-year-old was named Player of the Final in his debut PSL season. Reflecting on his campaign, he said: “Yeah, it’s been great. Everyone involved; all the players, coaching staff, owners, and directors, I couldn’t have had a better start to my PSL journey.”
“I’m super grateful to be part of Zalmi and to get to know everyone. We’ve had great fun and, obviously, a really successful season,” he added.
Hardie’s all-round display stood out as one of the defining performances of PSL 11, underlining his impact in the tournament’s biggest match.
