Peshawar Zalmi were crowned PSL 2026 champions as they routed Hyderabad Kingsmen by five wickets on the back of Aaron Hardie’s all-round performance. Hardie’s career-best figures of 4 for 27 skittled Kingsmen for 129, and his unbeaten 56 off 39 took Zalmi over the line after an early stutter threatened to derail the run chase. Zalmi have now become only the third team to win multiple PSL titles – their last triumph being in 2017 – after three-time winners Islamabad United and Lahore Qalandars.

It was a miraculous turnaround by Kingsmen that set their final with Zalmi as no team before them had ever reached the playoffs after losing their first four matches of the season. They had won seven of their last eight matches to reach this far, but having come in touching distance of the coveted trophy, their batters unravelled and registered the lowest first-innings total in a PSL final.

Babar Azam’s decision to insert Kingsmen was influenced by the green tinge on the pitch, but his bowlers did not need to rely much on the surface as Kingsmen threw their wickets one after another. Their entire middle order was wiped amid an awful collapse, during which they lost four wickets for only two runs in eight balls. Two of those wickets were run outs.

Kingsmen had a decent start and sat comfortably on 69 for 2 at the close of powerplay. Their innings, however, spiralled out of control three balls later when Sufiyan Muqeem had Usman Khan plumb in front. A mix-up between Saim Ayub and Irfan Khan resulted in the latter’s run out three balls later, and Glenn Maxwell was caught at mid-on the very next ball as he tried to slap a back-of-a-length delivery from Nahid Rana. The situation further aggravated for Kingsmen when Michael Bracwell’s direct hit accounted for Kusal Perera in the eighth over. The run out resulted in a brief delay and drama as Perera complained to the on-field umpires to have been obstructed by Rana, but the third umpire deemed it to be a legitimate wicket.

That Kingsmen had something to bowl with was because of Ayub, who scored his maiden half-century of the season. The left-hander made 54 off 50 after walking out to the middle in the second over. He got off to a flier, scoring 30 off 14. His 35-run stand for the second wicket with Marnus Labuschagne, who made 20 off 12, seemed promising before the Kingsmen captain became first of the four Hardie’s scalps.

Ayub unfurled his signature flick off Rana in the sixth over and drove him through the covers next ball as he stamped his authority over the opposition, but he had to rein in after the collapse. The longest that a partnership lasted in the innings was 24 balls, it was between Ayub and Hunain Shah for the eighth wicket. Hardie struck twice in the 18th over, accounting for Ayub at the start and Akif Javed towards the end to bag his first T20 four-for.

Mohammad Ali and Kingsmen celebrated passionately when he had Babar caught behind to go along with Mohammad Haris’ wicket in a dream first over. Hunain, the star of the second eliminator, got Kusal Mendis in the fourth over and Akif sent Bracewell packing soon after as Zalmi reeled at 40 for 4.

Hardie launched a counterattack, smashing Hunain for three boundaries, to close the 53-run powerplay. It was the start of a match-winning 115-run partnership with Abdul Samad, who made 48 off 34. The pair milked the bowlers and picked up boundaries occasionally in a magnificent rearguard effort, which took the game away from Kingsmen.

Towards the end, Samad seemed to be clobbering boundaries for fun. He clubbed Ali for a six and a four before he was caught at deep midwicket trying to seal the chase with a maximum with five runs to go. Victory was secured in the next over as Farhan Yousuf steered a bouncer from Hunain to the fine leg boundary.

Brief scores:
Peshawar Zalmi 130 for 5 in 15.2 overs (Aaron Hardie 56*, Abdul Samad 48; Mohammad Ali 3-38, Akif Javed 1-29, Hunain Shah 1-26 ) beat Hyderabad Kingsmen 129 in 18 overs (Marnus Labuschagne 20, Maaz Sadaqat 11, Saim Ayub 54, Hasan Khan 12; Mohamed Basit 1-22, Aaron  Hardie 4-27, Nahid Rana 2-22, Sufiyan Moqim 1-23)by five wickets

[Cricinfo]

Sri Lanka’s newly appointed Cricket Interim Committee will pad up for its first outing on Wednesday and high on the agenda is a glaring void that has left purists fuming – the alarming lack of Test cricket. The numbers make for grim reading. Sri Lanka last took the field in whites in June 2025 and are not scheduled to do so again until June 2026, effectively leaving the longest format out in the cold for a full year.

For a nation that once prided itself on producing artists in whites, the current scenario has gone down like a lead balloon. Senior players, especially those who ply their trade in the red-ball game, have raised the issue time and again, only to be met with a straight bat from the game’s hierarchy. The stock response has been predictable – Test cricket doesn’t pay its way, or the World Test Championship leaves little room to manoeuvre. But critics say those arguments don’t quite pass the smell test, accusing administrators of simply playing for time.

While the previous regime under Shammi Silva kept a hawk’s eye on the balance sheet, it appears the soul of the game was left to fend for itself. The new Interim Committee, however, seems to have read the pitch a little better, acknowledging that the situation has reached a tipping point and requires urgent attention.

Under the World Test Championship, opponents are locked in by the International Cricket Council, but the length of each series is left to bilateral negotiations. Sri Lanka, more often than not, have settled for the bare minimum – two-match series that barely allow a contest to breathe, let alone flourish. It has been a case of treating Test cricket like a hot potato rather than the game’s crown jewel.

What has raised more than a few eyebrows is the lack of initiative to schedule fixtures outside the WTC cycle. Matches against the likes of Zimbabwe, Afghanistan and Ireland could have helped keep the red-ball engine ticking, but those opportunities have been left to gather dust.

The discontent within the dressing room spilled into the open last year when players realised the cupboard was almost bare. Promises were made – including talk of a series against Pakistan in November last year – to douse the flames, but those assurances, like too many before them, failed to get off the ground.

Now, the Interim Committee appears ready to address the issue. Among the options on the table are exploring fixtures beyond the WTC and from the next cycle onwards, stretching home series into three-match contests instead of the usual two-Test affairs – a move that would give the format a fighting chance to regain its rhythm.

The statistics, meanwhile, offer a sobering reality check. Sri Lanka’s Test calendar over the past five years ranks among the leanest in world cricket. In a twist that borders on the ironic, observers point out that even during the dark days of war, the national side found itself playing more Test cricket than it does now.

by Rex Clementine

‎Sri Lanka’s javelin duo, Sumedha Ranasinghe and Dilhani Lekamge, produced outstanding performances to clinch silver medals at the Asian Throwing Championship held in Mokpo on Sunday.

‎Olympian Ranasinghe delivered a season’s best throw of 76.95 metres in the men’s javelin event, finishing second behind S. Ismoilov. The Uzbek athlete secured gold with a leading effort of 77.39 metres in a closely contested competition.

‎In the women’s event, Lekamge also rose to the occasion with a season-best throw of 56.79 metres to claim silver. The gold medal was won by M. Ueda, who recorded a distance of 58.84 metres.

‎The achievement marks a significant milestone for the Sri Lankan pair, who continue to show steady progress on the international stage. Training together under the guidance of coach Pradeep Nishantha, both athletes benefited from his presence and support during the competition in Mokpo.

‎Their performances not only underline Sri Lanka’s growing strength in field events but also provide a timely boost ahead of upcoming international meets.