Early collapse, strong response
Chasing 130, Zalmi got off to the worst possible start. Mohammad Haris fell for six and Babar Azam was dismissed for a duck in the opener by Mohammad Ali.
The situation deteriorated to 40 for 4 when Michael Bracewell also departed cheaply. But Hardie found solid support in Abdul Samad as the pair calmly rebuilt the innings.
They put on a match-defining 85-run partnership that shifted the momentum firmly in Zalmi’s favour. Samad scored a fluent 48 off 34 balls, hitting three fours and four sixes before falling on the 15th ball.
Hardie remained unbeaten on 56 off 39 deliveries, hitting nine boundaries, while Zalmi chased down the target with ease on 28 balls to spare.
Mohammad Ali was the pick of the Kingsmen bowlers with three wickets, while Hunain Shah and Akif Javed took one each.
Kingsmen collapses after good start
Earlier, Zalmi’s decision to bat first proved decisive as they bowled out Kingsmen for 129 in 18 overs.
After losing Maaz Sadaqat early, the Kingsmen tried to bounce back through Saim Ayub and Marnus Labuschagne. Labuschagne scored a quick 20 but the innings soon lost its lead.
Usman Khan’s dismissal triggered a collapse, with the Kingsmen slipping to 73 for 6 after losing three consecutive wickets, including two runs.
Saim Ayub stood firm with 54 off 50 balls but did not get enough support from the other end.
Hardie led the bowling effort with figures of 4 for 27, while Nahid Rana took two wickets. Sufiyan Muqeem and Muhammad Basit chipped in with one each.
In the end, it was a complete performance from Hardie-led Zalmi as they sealed a memorable victory and brought back the trophy after almost a decade.
