PESHAWAR – Peshawar Zalmi captain Babar Azam has acknowledged that while he is aware of the high expectations from fans, he has yet to fully meet those expectations despite his best efforts.
Speaking to the media following Peshawar Zalmi’s victory over Hyderabad Kingsmen in the second phase of the HBL PSL 2026, Babar Azam said, “I try to play my best, but results take time.” He recognized that the match was challenging, particularly due to the difficult pitch conditions, which made it tough for incoming batters. However, Zalmi managed to secure the win, demonstrating resilience in the face of adversity.
Babar praised Iftikhar Ahmed for his exceptional all-round performance, which played a key role in Peshawar Zalmi’s success. “Iftikhar showed his experience with both the ball and the bat, guiding Peshawar Zalmi to victory,” said the captain. He also expressed admiration for Iftikhar’s consistency, adding, “As the Man of the Match, Iftikhar is a seasoned player, and we always learn from him.”
Babar Azam remained hopeful for the future, expressing optimism that the team’s performance would improve and that fans would soon be able to attend matches in person.
Meanwhile, Hyderabad Kingsmen’s head coach, Jason Gillespie, spoke after his team’s fourth consecutive loss in the HBL PSL 2026. He admitted that the team’s batting line-up had underperformed and stressed the need for improvement. “We need to improve our batting. While our bowling was good, we haven’t been able to deliver with the bat,” Gillespie said. He added that young batter Saeem Ayub is a promising player and expressed hope that Ayub would soon return to form.
Gillespie also confirmed that Glenn Maxwell, one of the team’s key players, would soon be joining the squad, raising hopes for a potential turnaround in their performance in the coming matches.
