KARACHI: Peshawar Zalmi survived a late scare to beat Hyderabad Kingsmen by four wickets in a tense HBL Pakistan Super League encounter at the National Bank Stadium on Wednesday night, overcoming a spirited defence of a modest total in an unusually subdued atmosphere.
The venue painted a picture of emptiness. With stands largely vacant due to the government’s ongoing austerity drive and the stadium’s iconic roof removed as part of a planned renovation, the action unfolded in stark openness.
The silence in the stands, however, was replaced by relentless energy from Kingsmen players, who attempted to compensate for the lack of crowd support with constant chatter and encouragement on the field.
Defending a below-par 145 — and still searching for their first win of the tournament — the Kingsmen relied on intensity and discipline to drag the contest deep despite Peshawar appearing comfortably in control for much of the chase.
Zalmi were cruising at one stage, requiring 30 runs off 30 deliveries with six wickets in hand, before Hyderabad’s bowlers triggered a dramatic slowdown.
Sri Lankan spinner Maheesh Theekshana and pacer Mohammad Ali conceded only nine runs across two tight overs, applying pressure that shifted momentum.
Hunain Shah then produced a crucial spell, extending a streak of dot balls while dismissing Abdul Samad to leave Zalmi suddenly uncertain.
When Ali followed with a miserly five-run over, Zalmi needed 15 off the final six deliveries, turning what once looked routine into a nerve-racking finish.
Iftikhar Ahmed, however, held his nerve. The experienced all-rounder broke the tension by driving Hunain through the line for four before launching a towering six to reduce the equation to two runs off two balls.
Calm singles by Iftikhar (15 off 10) and Aamer Jamal sealed victory with four wickets in hand.
Earlier, Zalmi’s chase had begun briskly. Mohammad Haris flicked Ali for a six off the very first ball before departing early, but captain Babar Azam and Kusal Mendis ensured momentum remained intact.
Babar mixed sweeps and drives effectively against Maaz Sadaqat’s left-arm spin, while Mendis counterattacked with two sixes off Maaz and Hassan Khan as Zalmi raced to 56-1 in the powerplay.
The partnership provided a solid platform before Mendis’ aggressive cameo ended when he holed out to Ali at deep square-leg off Saim Ayub’s spin in the ninth over.
At 78-2 halfway through the chase, Zalmi looked firmly in control, needing 68 runs from the final 10 overs.
Kingsmen, though, responded with renewed discipline. Hunain began the squeeze with a one-run over, during which Michael Bracewell survived a caught-behind appeal.
Bracewell and Babar briefly restored control with timely boundaries, the New Zealander even scooping Hunain for six to ease pressure.
But Hyderabad struck back through Saim, who removed Bracewell for 25 off 19 balls before dismissing Babar for a composed 43 off 37 deliveries.
Pakistan Under-19 captain Farhan Yousuf attempted to maintain momentum with attacking strokes against Hassan and Theekshana, but Ali trapped him lbw in a crucial 17th over that yielded just two runs, setting up the tense finale eventually decided by Iftikhar’s late assault.
In the first innings, Zalmi’s bowlers had laid the foundation for victory by restricting Hyderabad to a modest total.
Iftikhar starred with the ball, dismantling the Kingsmen’s top order with remarkable efficiency to finish with figures of 4-21, all claimed within the powerplay.
His strikes left Hyderabad struggling before captain Marnus Labuschagne and Kusal Perera mounted a counterattack that briefly revived their innings.
With four wickets already down when Perera arrived at the crease, the Sri Lankan left-hander chose aggression as the only option.
He pulled Nahid Rana for six off just his third delivery and followed it with a crisp cover drive, lifting Hyderabad to 51-4 by the end of the powerplay.
Labuschagne, meanwhile, showcased adaptability while exploring his T20 credentials, negotiating Iftikhar carefully before striking three boundaries in an over off Sufiyan Muqeem’s wrist spin.
The pair added 82 runs off 55 balls, steadying Kingsmen to 86-4 at the halfway stage. Perera continued attacking, sweeping Sufiyan for six as the Kingsmen threatened to post a competitive total.
The breakthrough finally came in the 15th over when Labuschagne miscued Sufiyan and offered a simple catch to Shoriful Islam at short fine-leg.
Perera soon completed a fighting half-century off 31 balls with a powerful boundary through square, but Kingsmen’s resurgence proved short-lived.
Sufiyan returned to dismantle the lower order, dismissing Irfan Khan with a googly before removing Perera and Theekshana in quick succession.
A sharp catch by Iftikhar ended Hassan’s stay as Hyderabad were bowled out for a total that ultimately fell short.
Despite a spirited bowling effort that nearly turned the match on its head, Kingsmen’s winless run continued, while Zalmi walked away relieved after a contest that proved far closer than the target suggested.
Scoreboard
HYDERABAD KINGSMEN:
Maaz Sadaqat c Aamer b Iftikhar17
Saim Ayub c Haris b Iftikhar14
Sharjeel Khan b Iftikhar2
Usman Khan c Sufiyan b Iftikhar0
Marnus Labuschagne c Shoriful b Sufiyan27
Kusal Perera c Iftikhar b Sufiyan58
Irfan Khan c Babar b Sufiyan9
Hassan Khan c Iftikhar b Aamer9
Maheesh Theekshana c&b Sufiyan0
Hunain Shah run out0
Mohammad Ali not out0
EXTRAS (B-4, LB-4, W-1)9
TOTAL (all out, 18.2 overs)145
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-26 (Maaz), 2-33 (Saim), 3-33 (Usman), 4-34 (Sharjeel), 5-116 (Labuschagne), 6-136 (Irfan), 7-137 (Perera), 8-137 (Theekshana), 9-144 (Hunain)
BOWLING: Bracewell 4-0-26-0 (1w), Shoriful 2-0-21-0, Iftikhar 4-0-21-4, Nahid 3-0-30-0, Sufiyan 4-0-32-4, Aamer 1.2-0-7-1
PESHAWAR ZALMI:
Mohammad Haris c Labuschagne b Theekshana11
Babar Azam lbw b Hassan Khan43
Kusal Mendis c Ali b Saim27
Michael Bracewell c Irfan b Saim25
Farhan Yousaf lbw b Ali15
Abdul Samad c Usman b Hunain1
Iftikhar Ahmed not out15
Aamer Jamal not out6
EXTRAS (LB-2, W-1)3
TOTAL (for six wickets, 20 overs)146
DID NOT BAT: Sufiyan Muqeem, Shoriful Islam, Nahid Rana
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-17 (Haris), 2-66 (Mendis), 3-104 (Bracewell), 4-116 (Babar), 5-125 (Farhan), 6-125 (Samad)
BOWLING: Ali 3-0-16-1, Theekshana 4-0-36-1, Hassan 3-0-25-1, Maaz 2-0-16-0, Saim 4-0-19-2, Hunain 4-0-32-1 (1w)
RESULT: Peshawar Zalmi won by four wickets.
Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2026
