Sufyan Moqeem, Babar Azam run away with top honours in PSL-11

By Ehsan Qureshi

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The duo Sufyan Moqeem and Babar Azam played the dominant role with the ball and the bat respectively to power Peshawar Zalmi to title triumph in the 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) which concluded at the Qaddafi Stadium, Lahore, on May 3. They bagged the top individual awards. 

Left-arm wrist spinner Sufyan was declared Player of the Tournament as well as the Best Bowl for his rich haul of 22 wickets while Babar was adjudged as the Best Batsman for his mammoth aggregate of 588 runs. 

Their teammates Kusal Mendis won the award for the Best Wicketkeeper of the tournament, having scored 550 runs besides collecting 8 dismissals behind the stumps, while Farhan Yousuf was declared the Best Fielder for taking 10 catches during the tournament. 

Aaron Hardie, also from Peshawar Zalmi, earned Player of the Match award in the final to ensure that their team annexed the trophy after a gap of nine years. 

Islamabad United’s Shadab Khan was adjudged All-rounder of the Tournament for snatching 17 wickets and scoring 173 runs while Hyderabad Kingsmen’s fiery speedster Hunain Shah won the Emerging Player of the Tournament. 

The Spirit of Cricket Award went to debutants Hyderabad Kingsmen, who ended runners-up in the tournament among a record number of eight participants.

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Hardie’s all-round excellence enables Peshawar Zalmi to recapture PSL crown after nine years

By Ehsan Qureshi

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Aaron Hardie produced a sensational match-winning all-round show as Peshawar Zalmi ended a nine-year wait to reclaim the HBL PSL title with a five-wicket win over Hyderabad Kingsmen in the final at the Qaddafi Stadium, Lahore, on May 3. 

The versatile Australian all-rounder claimed four wickets for 27 runs before hitting an unbeaten 56 off 38 balls with nine fours as Peshawar chased down the modest target of 130 in 15.2 overs before a 32,000-strong crowd. 

Walking in at 40 for four, Hardie steadied the chase with Muhammad Samad in an 85-run stand off 64 balls for the fifth wicket. Samad fell for 48 off 34 balls, hitting four sixes and three fours before getting caught at the boundary off Mohammad Ali. 

Chasing 130, Peshawar had slumped to 40 for four after a fiery opening burst from Ali. He removed Mohammad Haris before getting the prized scalp of Babar Azam first ball. Hunain Shah, Hyderabad’s hero in the Eliminator, kept his team in the hunt by accounting for the dangerous Kusal Mendis while Michael Bracewell edged Akif Javed to keeper Usman. 

Ali finished with the figures of three for 38 and but his effort was not enough to prevent in the inevitable. It, however, made sure that Peshawar did not scamper home without some anxious moments even in pursuit of a small target. 

Earlier, Hyderabad lost their way after a brisk start. They had raced to 69 for two in the powerplay before collapsing soon afterwards from 71 for two to 73 for six, losing four wickets for two runs in a matter of nine balls. 

Maaz Sadaqat struck a six and four before holing out to Abdul Samad off Mohammad Basit for 11. Skipper Marnus Labuschagne made 20 off 12 before edging Basit behind. Irfan Niazi was run out by Bracewell for 1, Glenn Maxwell fell first ball to Nahid Rana, and Kusal Perera was run out for 9. 

Saim Ayub top-scored with 54 off 50 balls, which remained his only fifty of the tournament. Hardie (4-27) and Nahid (2-22) were chiefly responsible for bowling Hyderabad out for a paltry 129 in 18 overs. 

The Peshawar captain, Babar Azam, received the glittering trophy from the PCB Chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, with handsome purse of PKR 140 million while the Hyderabad captain, Marnus Labuschagne, collected a cash purse of PKR 86 million with the runners-up trophy.

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Hunain’s sensational last over propels debutants Hyderabad into PSL final; eliminates Islamabad

By Ehsan Qureshi 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Paceman Hunain Shah delivered a sensational last over, while defending just six off as many balls, to lead Hyderabad Kingsmen to a most dramatic two-run victory over Islamabad United in the Eliminator-2 of the HBL PSL-11 final in front of a packed Qaddafi Stadium crowd on May 1. 

Making their maiden appearance in the PSL, Hyderabad Kingsmen have already created a history of sorts by going all the way to the final. They will now take on Peshawar Zalmi in the title-clash at the same venue on May 3. 

As anticipated, the encounter between Hyderabad Kingsmen and Islamabad United went to the wire. But not many people expected Hyderabad to win the game when Islamabad were just a stroke away from victory at the start of the final over. 

Defending six in the 20th over, Hunain held his nerve with dot, 1, dot, wicket, 1, 1lb to restrict Chris Green and Imad Wasim to three runs which was incredible to say the least as Islamabad were left stranded at 184 for seven while chasing 187. 

It turned out to be Hnain’s night. He became the hero after producing six tight deliveries on a trot and none of them could be connected by the batters in the desired manner. Islamabad lost the game which had seemed in their pocket. 

Earlier, Hyderabad recovered from 85 for four to post 186 for five after being sent in. Usman anchored the innings with an unbeaten 61 off 39 balls, hitting eight fours. He added 101 off 48 balls for the fifth wicket with Kusal Perera, who smashed 37 off 21. 

Hyderabad had slipped to 87 for three after Maaz Sadaqat fell for a duck to Richard Gleeson. Saim Ayub counterattacked with 38 off 27 balls, while skipper Marnus Labuschagne made 39. 

Left-arm spinner Imad Wasim got the prized scalps of Glenn Maxwell and Labuschagne in three balls. 

Mark Chapman’s 43 off 26 balls put Islamabad’s nose ahead while useful contributions from Devon Conway (30 off 22 balls), Haider Ali (31 off 16 balls) and Shadab Khan (22 off 24 balls) kept them in hunt. Chris Green (21 off nine balls) and Faheem Ashraf (19 off 11 balls) almost took them over the line until denied in the most dramatic final overs in memory.

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