(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
Hyderabad Kingsmen Secure Comfortable Win Over Rawalpindiz in PSL 11
Hyderabad Kingsmen continued their strong comeback in the 2026 Pakistan Super League (PSL 11) with a convincing five-wicket victory against Rawalpindiz at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi.
Chasing a modest target of 122 runs, the Kingsmen reached the total in 16.3 overs, despite losing five wickets during the innings. Kusal Perera and Irfan Khan Niazi played crucial roles, guiding their team home with a steady unbeaten partnership.
Hyderabad faced an early setback when Maaz Sadaqat was dismissed in the opening over. Marnus Labuschagne and Saim Ayub then stabilized the innings, adding valuable runs before wickets began to fall at regular intervals.
Saim Ayub was dismissed for 15, while Usman Khan departed without scoring. Labuschagne contributed a quick 32 off 21 balls, hitting six boundaries, before being dismissed. Glenn Maxwell also fell for a first-ball duck, leaving Hyderabad in a challenging position at 68-5.
However, Perera and Irfan Khan took control of the situation with a match-winning 50-run partnership. Perera remained unbeaten on 32, while Irfan scored 34*, ensuring a smooth finish for their side.
Earlier in the match, Rawalpindiz struggled to build momentum after being put in to bat first, finishing at 121-9 in their 20 overs.
Maxwell provided an early breakthrough by dismissing Usman Khawaja, while Mohammad Ali removed Mohammad Rizwan to put the batting side under pressure.
Hunain Shah further tightened the grip by dismissing Daryl Mitchell early and later picking up another key wicket, leaving Rawalpindiz struggling at 41-4.
A brief recovery came through a partnership between Yasir Khan and Sam Billings, but Mohammad Ali broke the stand by dismissing Yasir. Quick wickets followed, including a run-out of Saad Masood and the dismissal of Billings for 26.
Asif Afridi added some late runs with an unbeaten 15, but the total proved insufficient.
Mohammad Ali and Hunain Shah were the standout bowlers for Hyderabad, claiming three wickets each, while Asif Mehmood and Glenn Maxwell picked up one wicket apiece.
The victory strengthens Hyderabad Kingsmen’s position in the tournament, while Rawalpindiz continue their search for their first win.
