ISL vs HYK, PSL 2026: Hyderabad Kingsmen held their nerve outstandingly well to eke out a two-run victory, thereby mounting one of the best defences in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 history at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
Hunain Shah bowled a stunning last over to defend only six runs as they stormed into the final, leaving Islamabad United heartbroken. The debutants will play a strong Peshawar Zalmi in the final on May 3, Sunday.
ISL vs HYK, PSL 2026: Usman Khan's impetus lifts the Hyderabad Kingsmen to an imposing total
With Islamabad United captain Shadab Khan winning the toss, he sent the Kingsmen into bat. Maaz Sadaqat, who was the architect of their win against Multan Sultans, perished for a four-ball duck. Captain Marnus Labuschagne restored some control as the 70-run stand ended after Saim Ayub departed for a 27-ball 38, laced with seven boundaries. Labuschagne also failed to provide that momentum the Kingsmen, consuming 32 deliveries for his 39 runs. After Glenn Maxwell fell for yet another single-figure score, Usman Khan stepped in to batter a 24-ball fifty.
At the other end, Kusal Perera also played a crucial hand, striking four boundaries and two maximums in his 21-ball 37 before falling in the final ball of the innings to set up 187 for Islamabad to win.
ISL vs HYK, PSL 2026: Islamabad United's mediocre run of top-order batters continue
The Kingsmen found breakthroughs in the first three overs itself, sending the in-form Sameer Minhas (6) and Mohsin Riaz (5) packing, putting Islamabad in a spot of bother. Devon Conway's 30 off 25 deliveries was a momentum of sorts but Islamabad slipped to 68/4 as Shadab Khan managed only 22 runs. Islamabad still found the stomach to come back into the contest with a 64-run stand between Mark Chapman and Haider Ali.
However, Kingsmen left the opposition to score 55 off the final 26 balls when Haider perished for 31 as the two sides kept trading blows until the momentum swung significantly towards United with 6 needed off the final over. But Hunain hardly bowled any hittable balls to Chris Green and Faheem Ashraf and dismissed the latter to usher the Kingsmen into the final.