Peshawar Zalmi crowned a memorable Pakistan Super League season by defeating Hyderabad Kingsmen by five wickets in the PSL 2026 final at Gaddafi Stadium. Led by Babar Azam, Zalmi secured their second PSL title after a dominant all-round performance in the summit clash.
Batting first, Hyderabad Kingsmen struggled against Zalmi’s bowling attack and were bowled out for 129 runs in 18 overs. Young opener Saim Ayub played a fighting knock of 54 runs off 50 balls, including five fours and two sixes.
However, the match completely changed after Australian all-rounder Aaron Hardie produced a sensational spell of 4/27. Fast bowler Nahid Rana also impressed with two crucial wickets.
During the chase, Peshawar Zalmi looked in complete control from the beginning. Aaron Hardie once again starred with the bat, smashing an unbeaten 56 off just 39 deliveries with nine boundaries.
His brilliant all-round display helped Zalmi chase the target in only 15.2 overs and earned him the Player of the Match award in the PSL 2026 final.
PSL 2026 Prize Money
| Award | Prize Money |
| Winners | USD 500,000 |
| Runners-Up | USD 300,000 |
| Player of the Tournament | PKR 4 Million |
| Best Batter | PKR 3.5 Million |
| Best Bowler | PKR 3.5 Million |
| Emerging Player | PKR 3.5 Million |
The Pakistan Cricket Board also introduced separate franchise rewards in PSL history, highlighting the league’s rapid financial growth and increasing global popularity.
PSL 2026 Award Winners
| Award | Winner |
| Player of the Series | Sufiyan Muqeem |
| Emerging Player | Hunain Shah |
| Best Wicketkeeper | Kusal Mendis |
| Best All-Rounder | Shadab Khan |
| Spirit of Cricket Award | Hyderabad Kingsmen |
Sufiyan Muqeem finished as the leading wicket-taker of the tournament with 22 wickets in 11 matches at an incredible average of 14.41. Meanwhile, Babar Azam dominated with the bat, scoring 588 runs in 11 innings at a strike rate above 145 to finish as PSL 2026’s highest run-scorer.
Fakhar Zaman recorded the most fifty-plus scores in the tournament, while Kusal Mendis and Sahibzada Farhan smashed the joint-most sixes with 23 each.
With record-breaking performances, increased prize money, and thrilling contests throughout the season, PSL 2026 proved why the tournament continues to grow as one of the biggest and most entertaining T20 leagues in world cricket.
