Australian all-rounder Aaron Hardie delivered a match-winning performance with both bat and ball as Peshawar Zalmi defeated Hyderabad Kingsmen by five wickets to claim their second Pakistan Super League title in Lahore.
Hardie first ripped through the Kingsmen batting lineup, taking 4-27 to bundle them out for 129 in 18 overs. He then anchored the chase with an unbeaten 56 off 39 balls, guiding his side home with 28 balls to spare.
Chasing a modest target, Peshawar stumbled early, slipping to 40-4 after Mohammad Ali removed opener Mohammad Haris and captain Babar Azam for a golden duck. But Hardie and Abdul Samad (48 off 34) steadied the ship with a crucial 85-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
Samad fell just five runs short of victory, but Farhan Yousuf finished the match with a boundary as Peshawar ended their nine-year title drought. The win marks their first PSL title since 2017, when they were champions in the tournament's second edition.
Earlier, Hyderabad Kingsmen - playing their debut season - were put in to bat and reached 71-2 after the powerplay. However, they lost four wickets for three runs in a dramatic collapse, with Michael Bracewell effecting two run-outs. Saim Ayub fought a lone battle, scoring 54 off 50 balls, but his dismissal triggered the end as Hardie cleaned up the tail.
Hardie's all-round display earned him the Player of the Match award, capping a dominant campaign for Peshawar, who topped the group stage before thrashing Islamabad United in the qualifier.