KARACHI: In a nerve-shredding contest at the National Bank Stadium, Peshawar Zalmi defeated Hyderabad Kingsmen by four wickets on the very last ball of the match in the 15th fixture of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 season.
Chasing a modest target of 146 runs, Zalmi found themselves in trouble multiple times but held their nerve to cross the finish line on the last ball, finishing at 146/6 in 20 overs.
Peshawar Zalmi hold their nerve to pull off a last-ball chase as Kingsmen continue their wait for a maiden HBL PSL win.#HBLPSL11 | #NewEra | #HKvPZ pic.twitter.com/bn84PVKyMv
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) April 8, 2026
Spinners set up low chase
Earlier in the day, Zalmi’s spin duo of Iftikhar Ahmed and Sufiyan Muqeem wreaked havoc, dismissing Kingsmen for just 145 runs in 18.2 overs. Iftikhar returned sensational figures of 4/21, while Muqeem matched him with 4/32. Kusal Perera fought back with a brilliant 58 off 35 balls, but his efforts went in vain as Hyderabad lost their last seven wickets for just 29 runs.
Four for 21 with the ball 👌
15 not out off 10 with the bat in a last-ball thriller 💪
Iftikhar Ahmed is player of the match for a strong all-round performance 👏#HBLPSL11 | #NewEra | #HKvPZ pic.twitter.com/YWksuRQVEM
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) April 8, 2026
Zalmi’s rollercoaster chase
In response, Peshawar Zalmi’s innings was a story of dramatic twists. Mohammad Haris started aggressively with 11 off 6 balls before falling to Maheesh Theekshana. Captain Babar Azam then anchored the innings with a composed 43 off 37 balls, while Kusal Mendis contributed 27 off 23.
Michael Bracewell played a crucial hand with 25 off 19, but when Babar fell lbw to Hassan Khan for 43, Zalmi slipped to 116/4. The situation worsened as Farhan Yousaf (15) and Abdul Samad (1) departed quickly, leaving Zalmi reeling at 125/6 in the 18th over.
📸from #HKvPZ second innings.#HBLPSL11 | #NewEra pic.twitter.com/MFleKX1lix
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) April 8, 2026
Iftikhar and Jamal hold nerve
With 21 runs needed from the final two overs and only four wickets in hand, veteran all-rounder Iftikhar Ahmed (15 not out off 10) and Aamer Jamal (6 not out off 10) kept their cool. The duo rotated strike smartly and found the boundaries when needed, taking the game to the final over.
Needing 14 runs off the last six balls, Iftikhar and Jamal managed to score the required runs off the final delivery, sealing a dramatic four-wicket victory that sent the Zalmi camp into wild celebrations.
𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝘀 𝗭𝗮𝗹𝗺𝗶 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝘀! 🔥#HBLPSL11 | #NewEra | #HKvPZ pic.twitter.com/QagCdQMLuw
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) April 8, 2026
Match impact
The thrilling win gives Peshawar Zalmi crucial points in the PSL 11 standings, while Hyderabad Kingsmen remain winless after suffering their fourth consecutive defeat of the tournament.
