KARACHI: Hyderabad Kingsmen delivered an impressive all-round performance to beat RawalPindiz by 108 runs in the 39th match of the HBL PSL 2026 at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi on Sunday.
Chasing 245, Rawalpindiz were bowled out for 136 in 17.1 overs as the Kingsmen bowlers stayed disciplined and in control under pressure.
The victory ensured Hyderabad met their qualification requirement, which was not only to win but also to keep their opponents to 158 or below to advance in the tournament.
Rawalpindiz got off to a poor start when Akif Javed struck early, removing Shahzaib Khan for 1 off 5 balls.
Mohammad Rizwan and Usman Khawaja tried to steady the innings, taking the score past 50 with a calm partnership. However, their 43-run stand ended when Hunain Shah dismissed Rizwan for 26 off 16 balls, which included four boundaries.
Khawaja held one end firmly, bringing up his second PSL fifty, and briefly rebuilt the innings with Sam Billings. But wickets kept falling regularly.
Kamran Ghulam was dismissed for a duck by Hunain Shah, who picked up his second wicket. Billings was then out for 23 off 12 balls, hitting one four and two sixes, while Dian Forrester scored just 6 before Akif Javed struck again, leaving RawalPindiz at 102-5 in 11.4 overs.
The lower order failed to put up any fight. Mohammad Ali added to the pressure by dismissing Saad Masood for 5, while Hunain Shah claimed his third wicket by removing Amad Butt for 3.
Asif Afridi was run out by Saim Ayub after scoring 3, and Ben Sears was the last man out for a duck as RawalPindiz were bowled out well short of the target.
Usman Khawaja remained unbeaten on 66 off 43 balls, including nine fours, but could not take his team across the line.
Hunain Shah was the standout bowler with figures of 4 for 22 in 3.1 overs. Akif Javed took three wickets, while Mohammad Ali and Glenn Maxwell chipped in with one wicket each.
Batting first, Hyderabad Kingsmen delivered an impressive batting performance, piling up a huge total of 244-6.
They got strong contributions from Usman Khan, Kusal Perera, Glenn Maxwell and Maaz Sadaqat, who attacked the Rawalpindiz bowlers from the start.
Captain Marnus Labuschagne was dismissed early, bowled by Ben Sears for five runs off five balls in the second over after hitting a boundary.
Maaz Sadaqat and Usman Khan then built momentum with a quick 50-run partnership, taking the team past 50 with aggressive stroke play.
The partnership ended at 54 when Amad Butt dismissed Maaz for 28 off just 11 balls, including five fours and a six, with Mohammad Rizwan taking a sharp catch behind the stumps.
Usman kept up the attacking pace, bringing up his fifth PSL half-century with regular boundaries.
Saim Ayub supported briefly but was out for 12 off six balls, hitting a four and a six, before being dismissed by Asif Afridi.
Usman and Kusal Perera pushed the total past 100, but Saad Masood struck twice in one over to shift the momentum.
Usman was dismissed after a brilliant 54 off 26 balls, including four fours and four sixes, while Irfan Niazi was out for a duck on the first ball, leaving Kingsmen at 119-5 in 9.2 overs.
Perera and Glenn Maxwell then rebuilt the innings with a solid partnership, keeping the run rate high and taking the total past 200 in the 17th over.
Maxwell led the charge, scoring his first PSL fifty and helping the pair add over 100 runs together.
Perera completed his fourth PSL fifty and remained not out on 50 off 30 balls, hitting five fours and a six, while Hassan Khan chipped in with a quick 16 to lift the Kingsmen to a strong total of 244-6.
Saad Masood picked up two wickets giving 34 runs.
