The Pakistan Super League 2026 final is set. Peshawar Zalmi take on Hyderabad Kingsmen at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Sunday, May 3, with a 7:00 PM PKT start. It is a clash between the tournament’s dominant side and its most unlikely story.
Match Details
| Match | PSL 2026 Final |
| Date & Time | Sunday, May 3, 2026 — 7:00 PM PKT |
| Venue | Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore |
| Head-to-Head (2026) | PES 1 – 0 HYK |
How They Got Here
Peshawar Zalmi were the best team in the league stage by a distance. Under Babar Azam, they won eight of their ten round-robin games, lost just one, and had one match washed out. They topped the standings and then hammered Islamabad United by 70 runs in the Qualifier in Karachi to reach the final without losing a playoff match.
Hyderabad Kingsmen are playing in their very first PSL season and are doing so as finalists. They lost their opening four matches and looked dead in the water. Then something clicked. They won seven of their last eight league games. After finishing fourth, they beat Multan Sultans in Eliminator 1, then produced one of the tournament’s most dramatic moments in Eliminator 2 — Hunain Shah defended just six runs off the final over against Islamabad United, dismissing Faheem Ashraf to seal a two-run win and book a place in the final.
Previous Meeting
These two sides met on April 8, 2026 at the National Stadium in Karachi. Peshawar Zalmi bowled Hyderabad Kingsmen out for 145 — Iftikhar Ahmed took four wickets in the powerplay to wreck the innings. Zalmi then chased the target off the final ball. Zalmi lead the head-to-head 1–0 heading into the final.
Pitch Report: Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
Batters have dominated at the Gaddafi Stadium throughout PSL 2026. The average first-innings score across the last five matches at this venue is around 188. Toss-winning captains have consistently chosen to field first, and anything below 180 has generally been chased down. Expect scores in the 185–195 range from both sides on Sunday.
Expected Playing XIs
Peshawar Zalmi: Mohammad Haris (wk), Babar Azam (c), Kusal Mendis (wk), Farhan Yousaf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Michael Bracewell, Aaron Hardie, Abdul Samad, Khurram Shahzad, Sufiyan Muqeem, Mohammad Basit.
Hyderabad Kingsmen: Maaz Sadaqat, Saim Ayub, Marnus Labuschagne, Usman Khan (wk), Kusal Perera, Glenn Maxwell, Hassan Khan, Irfan Khan, Hunain Shah, Mohammad Ali, Akif Javed.
Key Players
Babar Azam (Peshawar Zalmi) Babar is the tournament’s leading run-scorer. In 10 innings this season he has made 588 runs at an average of 84 and a strike rate of 146.27. No batter in PSL 2026 comes close. Hyderabad’s best chance of winning this final likely begins with removing him cheaply.
Sufiyan Muqeem (Peshawar Zalmi) The standout bowler of PSL 2026. Muqeem has taken 21 wickets in 10 matches at an average of 14 and an economy rate of 7.35 — the best figures of any bowler in the tournament. He and Iftikhar Ahmed demolished Hyderabad’s batting the last time these sides met.
Glenn Maxwell (Hyderabad Kingsmen) Maxwell’s 70 off 37 balls — his highest score in 40 T20 matches — was the innings that turned Hyderabad’s season around. He gives the Kingsmen a match-winner in the middle order capable of completely changing the course of any game on his day.
Hunain Shah (Hyderabad Kingsmen) The young pace bowler has nerves of steel. Defending six off the last over in a knockout match against Islamabad United, he bowled out of his skin and delivered the wicket of Faheem Ashraf when it mattered most. His death bowling will be critical on Sunday.
Prediction
Peshawar Zalmi are the favourites. They were the best side in the tournament across 11 matches and have Babar Azam — arguably the best player in this competition by a margin — at the top of the order. Sufiyan Muqeem adds a bowling threat that Hyderabad has already struggled against once this season.
But Hyderabad Kingsmen cannot be dismissed. A team that recovered from four straight defeats to reach a final in its debut season clearly has character. Maxwell, Saim Ayub, and Marnus Labuschagne make their batting dangerous, and their bowlers have proven they can hold their nerve in the tightest finishes.
Gaddafi Stadium favours the chasing side, so the toss matters. The most likely outcome is a close match that goes deep into the chase. On current form and squad quality, Peshawar Zalmi are the side to beat — but this final has all the ingredients for a thriller.
Prediction: Peshawar Zalmi to win the PSL 2026 Final.