"Has Been Trying For A Long Time": Pakistan Star Backs Babar Azam's Peshawar Zalmi To Win PSL 2026 Title
During the post-match press conference, Shadab Khan was asked to predict the winner of the PSL 2026 final, scheduled to be played between Hyderabad Kingsmen and Babar Azam-led Peshawar Zalmi on Sunday.
Islamabad United's Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 campaign came to a heartbreaking end on Friday after a narrow defeat against Hyderabad Kingsmen in Eliminator 2. Batting first, Hyderabad posted an imposing total of 186/5 in 20 overs, with Usman Khan top-scoring with an unbeaten 61. Islamabad came agonisingly close in the chase but were eventually restricted to 184/7, falling short by just two runs. The loss eliminated Islamabad from the PSL title race, while Hyderabad booked their place in the final.
During the post-match press conference, Shadab Khan was asked to predict the winner of the PSL 2026 final, scheduled to be played between Hyderabad Kingsmen and Babar Azam-led Peshawar Zalmi on Sunday. The Islamabad United skipper backed Peshawar to lift the title, stating that Babar Azam deserves it the most.
"I want Babar to win the trophy. That guy has been trying for a long time. The way Hyderabad Kingsmen are playing, it seems like they are doing miracles in this season," he said.
Reflecting on the loss to Hyderabad, Shadab admitted that his team's struggles in the death overs proved costly.
"If you look at the lapses we made from the start, those small mistakes at the end of the day reduce your margin. So obviously, death bowling was a concern. Throughout the tournament, we didn't bowl that well in the death overs, and today it was somewhat similar. I think we conceded 10-15 more. (what went wrong in the chase?) I think wickets fell at crucial moments. Especially speaking about myself, I feel I could have played better and carried the momentum," said Shadab during the post-match presentation.
"We were waiting for momentum, and whenever we got a bit of it, we lost wickets. At the end of the day, it's also a mind game. In the last over, I think we could have read the game situation better and played accordingly. (thoughts on the season) It was a very good tournament overall. As we saw Sameer in batting, we already knew he was an exceptional talent, but the way he performed on the big stage under pressure was outstanding. I think everyone contributed," he added.
Pakistan Cricket Team
Babar Azam
Shadab Khan