KARACHI: Initiating his run-up from the Pavilion End, Hunain Shah steamed in, firing on all cylinders. Once the pacer started running, he never stopped. Delivering a searing yorker to castle Ben Sears, he sealed a play-off spot for Hyderabad Kingsmen in their debut HBL Pakistan Super League season with a commanding 108-run win over Rawalpindiz here at the National Bank Stadium on Sunday.

Hunain’s run extended beyond the pitch, as he and team-mates converged near the University Road End — some sprinting in from the dugout, others from their fielding positions — mirroring Kingsmen’s own tournament journey: four straight defeats, followed by four consecutive wins, another stumble, and finally a clinical finish when it mattered the most.

Set a daunting target of 245, Rawa­lpindiz never quite found the momentum required, folding for 136 with nearly three overs to spare despite lone resistance from Usman Khawaja.

The huge defeat not only ended Raw­a­lpindiz’s campaign on a familiar disappointing note but also confirmed Kingsmen’s remarkable entry into the playoffs as they ousted Lahore Qalan­dars on net run-rate in the process.

Earlier, Kingsmen’s innings was a tale of calculated aggression and relentless intent. Having been put into bat by Mohammad Rizwan, Kingsmen wasted little time in setting the tone.

Maaz Sadaqat launched the proceedings with a boundary off the very first ball and, despite losing captain Marnus Labuschagne early to Sears, Kingsmen’s approach remained unchanged.

Maaz’s brisk 28 off 11 balls, peppered with five fours and a six, ensured powerplay belonged firmly to Kingsmen.

Usman Khan then took charge, displaying controlled belligerence in a blistering 54 from 26 deliveries. His innings, laced with four fours and as many sixes, provided the backbone of Kingsmen’s charge, even as wickets fell at the other end.

After Saim Ayub (12) disappointed again it was the middle-overs partnership between Kusal Perera and Glenn Maxwell that truly defined the innings. With Kingsmen needing not just a win but a big one to overhaul their net run-rate deficit, the duo combined precision with power.

Perera played the anchor’s role to perfection, finishing unbeaten on 50 off 30 balls, while Maxwell unleashed a breathtaking assault.

The Australian all-rounder’s 70 not out off just 37 — featuring eight fours and three sixes — came at a crucial juncture when Kingsmen seemed losing momentum after a brief wobble.

Their 108-run partnership between Perera and Maxwell dismantled Rawalpindiz’s bowling attack, with pacer Mohammad Amir enduring a particularly forgettable outing, conceding 57 runs in his four overs without a wicket.

The late flourish from Hassan Khan, who smashed 16 off just four balls, propelled Kingsmen to an imposing 244-6 — a total that, as Labuschagne later noted, “really kept us in the game,” adding that the side had felt confident “if we could do what we did in the first innings.”

He also praised how “Glenn had a quiet tournament and then to find that innings” alongside key contributions from Perera, Usman and Hassan.

Rawalpindiz’s reply began on a cautious note, with pacer Mohammad Ali maintaining tight lines. However, Rizwan and Khawaja attempted to counterattack, stitching together a 43-run stand. Rizwan looked fluent during his 26 off 16 balls before falling to Hunain, the player-of-the-match, whose introduction into the attack proved decisive.

Hunain’s double strike in his first over — removing Rizwan and Kamran Ghulam — dented Rawalpindiz’s chase irreparably. From there, Kingsmen’s bowlers operated with discipline and clarity, aware that wickets were the key to securing the required margin of victory.

“Everyone was working really hard and had the conviction to win,” Hunain said afterwards, explaining that the plan was simple: “hit the top of off-stump… we wouldn’t go for wickets; they would come on their own.”

Akif Javed complemented Hunain brilliantly, picking up three wickets, including that of the dangerous Sam Billings, who had briefly threatened with a quick 23. Ali chipped in with a wicket as well, while Maxwell capped off an all-round performance by dismissing Amir.

Khawaja stood firm amidst the collapse, crafting an unbeaten 66 off 43 balls, but lacked support from the other end as wickets continued to tumble at regular intervals. The mounting required run-rate further compounded Rawalpindiz’s troubles, forcing them into risky strokes that played into Kingsmen’s hands.

The defining moment arrived in the 18th over when Hunain returned to clean up Sears with a pinpoint yorker, triggering jubilant celebrations in the Kingsmen camp.

From languishing at the bottom after four defeats to storming into the playoffs, the Kingsmen’s journey has been defined by resilience, adaptability and composure — qualities Labuschagne highlighted in the closing stages, noting the importance of “holding our nerves” in a game where momentum constantly shifted.

On Sunday, with everything on the line, they delivered a near-perfect performance — one that not only secured qualification but also sent a strong message to their playoff rivals.

SCOREBOARD

HYDERABAD KINGSMEN:

Maaz Sadaqat c Rizwan b Amad 28

Marnus Labuschagne b Sears 5

Usman Khan c Billings b Saad 54

Saim Ayub c Forrester b Asif 12

Kusal Perera not out 50

Irfan Khan c Forrester b Saad 0

Glenn Maxwell run out 70

Hassan Khan not out 16

EXTRAS (LB-2, W-7) 9

TOTAL (for six wickets, 20 overs) 244

DID NOT BAT: Hunain Shah, Mohammad Ali, Akif Javed

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-10 (Labuschagne), 2-64 (Maaz), 3-93 (Saim), 4-119 (Usman), 5-119 (Irfan), 6-227 (Maxwell)

BOWLING: Asif 2-0-27-1, Sears 4-0-49-1 (2w), Amir 4-0-57-0 (1w), Amad 4-0-48-1 (3w), Saad 4-0-34-2 (1w), Forrester 2-0-27-0

RAWALPINDIZ:

Mohammad Rizwan c (sub) b Hunain 26

Shahzaib Khan c Labuschagne b Akif 1

Usman Khawaja not out 66

Kamran Ghulam b Hunain 0

Sam Billings c Maaz b Akif 23

Dian Forrester c Hassan b Akif 6

Saad Masood c Maxwell b Ali 5

Amad Butt c Labuschagne b Hunain 3

Mohammad Amir b Maxwell 0

Asif Afridi run out 3

Ben Sears b Hunain 0

EXTRAS (LB-1, NB-1, W-1) 3

TOTAL (all out, 17.1 overs) 136

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-13 (Shahzaib), 2-56 (Rizwan), 3-56 (Kamran), 4-94 (Billings), 5-102 (Forrester), 6-113 (Saad), 7-122 (Amad), 8-125 (Amir), 9-136 (Asif)

BOWLING: Ali 4-0-23-1, Akif 4-0-38-3 (1nb), Saim 2-0-27-0, Hunain 3.1-0-22-4, Maxwell 4-0-25-1 (1w)

RESULT: Hyderabad Kingsmen won by 108 runs.

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Hunain Shah

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2026