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Kingsmen chase fairytale title, Zalmi eye second PSL crown

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Kingsmen chase fairytale title, Zalmi eye second PSL crown


Babar Azam (left), captain of Peshawar Zalmi, and Marnus Labuschagne, captain of Hyderabad Kingsmen, pose with Pakistan Super League Trophy ahead of edition 11 final, Lahore, May 3, 2025. — Instagram/@thepsl 
  • Kingsmen chase title in debut season.
  • Zalmi target second PSL crown since 2017.
  • Babar leads with record-breaking run tally.

Marnus Labuschagne’s Hyderabad Kingsmen are set to face Babar Azam’s Peshawar Zalmi in the final of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 on Sunday night at the Gaddafi Stadium, which will mark the culmination of the 44-match season of the league.

For the first time in the history of the PSL, a separate reward has been set for the franchises with the winning franchise getting $500,000, runners up will get $300,000, while the franchise with the best player development efforts will bag $200,000. The tournament-winning prize for players will comprise $500,000.

Hyderabad Kingsmen will be looking to conclude their fairytale season with the PSL title, while Peshawar Zalmi are eyeing their second title after 2017. Zalmi were the runners-up for 2018, 2019 and 2021 seasons.

On the back of Babar’s record 588-run tally, Kusal Mendis’ 541 runs and Sufyan Moqim’s 21 wickets, Peshawar Zalmi won eight of their 10 matches in the league stage including a seven-match winning streak.

They outclassed Islamabad United by 70 runs in the Qualifier to secure the ticket for the final.

Express fast bowler Nahid Rana has also rejoined the Peshawar Zalmi squad and will be available for selection.

He picked up seven wickets in four league matches for Zalmi.

Hyderabad Kingsmen began their campaign with three outright losses by 69 runs against Qalandars, by 40 runs versus Gladiators and by six wickets against Sultans.

Their fourth consecutive loss came against Peshawar Zalmi as the two teams played out a last-ball thriller.

Zalmi chased the 146-run target with four wickets in hand.

Kingsmen then won four matches on the trot before falling flat against Islamabad United.

They thumped Rawalpindiz by 108 runs in their last league game to oust defending champions Lahore Qalandars on net run rate.

Kingsmen knocked out Multan Sultans in Eliminator 1 and came from behind to stun Islamabad United by two runs in the Eliminator 2.

At the pre-final captains’ press conference, Babar said: “We have played really good cricket in the tournament. Our focus has been on assessing the conditions first and then executing the plans.”

“The performance of our team this season has been a combined effort of the local and overseas players. We hope to win the trophy by giving our best.”

Labuschagne, the skipper of the Kingsmen said that leading his side has been really exciting and he’s enjoyed every moment.

“There have been certainly ups and downs but I think that’s what makes it so good. [it’s] just another game and we will make sure that we stick to our processes.”





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Sajid Ali Sadpara summits world’s fifth-highest peak

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Sajid Ali Sadpara summits world’s fifth-highest peak


Pakistani mountaineer Sajid Ali Sadpara poses during acclimatisation rotation on Mount Makalu ahead of his planned summit push. — Instagram/sajidalisadpara

Pakistani mountaineer Sajid Ali Sadpara successfully summited Mount Makalu, the world’s fifth-highest mountain, on Saturday, marking another major achievement in his high-altitude climbing career.

According to details, Sajid reached the summit of Mount Makalu at around 5am. The mountain, located in Nepal, stands at a height of 8,485 metres above sea level.

The successful ascent marked Sajid’s 10th mountain above 8,000 metres, further strengthening his record among Pakistan’s prominent high-altitude mountaineers.

Makalu is located in the Mahalangur Himalayas, 19 km southeast of Mount Everest, on the China–Nepal border. It is considered one of the world’s most challenging peaks because of its steep ridges, difficult terrain and extreme weather conditions faced by climbers during expeditions.

Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) congratulated Sajid on his remarkable and successful summit of Mount Makalu (8,485 metres), the fifth-highest mountain in the world.

In a statement, ACP President Maj Gen (retd) Irfan Arshad along with all members of the club, extended heartfelt felicitations to Sajid on achieving the feat, terming it a moment of great pride for the nation.

The statement noted that summiting one of the world’s most technically challenging peaks reflects Sajid’s courage, determination, and exceptional mountaineering skills.

“This outstanding achievement is not only a personal milestone but also a proud moment for the entire Pakistani mountaineering community,” it added.

The ACP President lauded his perseverance and dedication, saying his accomplishment would inspire young climbers across the country and further strengthen Pakistan’s presence on the global mountaineering stage.

ACP Vice President Karrar Haidri also congratulated Sajid on the successful ascent and wished him a safe descent and continued success in his future mountaineering pursuits.





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Raptors star RJ Barrett nails season-saving 3-pointer to force Game 7 against Cavaliers

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Raptors star RJ Barrett nails season-saving 3-pointer to force Game 7 against Cavaliers


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Clutch doesn’t even begin to describe Toronto Raptors star RJ Barrett’s season-saving shot.

The Raptors, down 3-2 in the series, were trailing the Cleveland Cavaliers 110-109 with 10.9 seconds left in the fourth quarter at the Scotiabank Arena on Friday night.

Barrett inbounded the ball to Scottie Barnes, with the Raptors needing a basket to save their season. Barnes dribbled to the free-throw line and then kicked the ball back to Barrett, who was waiting at the top of the key.

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Toronto Raptors’ RJ Barrett celebrates with fans after a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 6 of the first-round NBA playoffs in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on May 1, 2026. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Barrett launched a 3-pointer, a shot that needed to find the back of the net if the Raptors were to force a Game 7 and extend their season. Instead, Barrett found the back of the rim and the ball bounced nearly seven feet off it.

The ball then came down and fell through the net, giving the Raptors a 112-110 lead with 1.2 seconds left. Evan Mobley had a chance to win it for the Cavaliers, but his 3-pointer bounced off the front of the rim as time expired.

Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic said he felt like Barrett’s shot was in the air for an eternity.

“It was only half a second, but it felt like an eternity,” Rajakovic said. “I was happy for him, for this team, for this city, that the shot went down.”

Barrett said he knew it had a chance to fall because of where the ball landed on the rim.

FORMER WIZARDS STAR JOHN WALL RETURNS TO WASHINGTON AS HOWARD BASKETBALL OPERATIONS PRESIDENT

Toronto Raptors forward RJ Barrett shooting a basketball during overtime in a game.

Toronto Raptors forward RJ Barrett scored the winning basket against the Cleveland Cavaliers during overtime in game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA playoffs at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on May 1, 2026. (Nick Turchiaro/Imagn Images)

“I thought it was still good because it went straight up,” Barrett said. “When it goes straight up, you have a chance.”

Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson had a more succinct reaction to Barrett’s season-saving shot.

“Sometimes the basketball gods aren’t with you,” Atkinson said.

The Cavaliers are now looking to turn the page and win Game 7 at home.

“This is why you fight so hard to get home-court advantage,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said. “We knew this wasn’t going to be easy. This is the playoffs, this is what it’s about. We’ve got to recover and get ready for Sunday’s game.”

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Toronto Raptors forward RJ Barrett reacts after scoring winning basket in overtime

Toronto Raptors forward RJ Barrett reacts after scoring the winning basket against the Cleveland Cavaliers in overtime during game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA playoffs at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, on May 1, 2026. (Nick Turchiaro/Imagn Images)

“Protect home court,” Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell said. “It doesn’t matter if we lost by 30 or two, protect home court. That’s all you can do.”

For Raptors fans, the friendly bounce was reminiscent of an even bigger playoff basket north of the border: Kawhi Leonard’s four-bounce, buzzer-beating winner against the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 7 of the 2019 Eastern Conference semifinals.

Raptors fans hope they can get another special memory when the team plays the Cavaliers at 7:30 p.m. ET.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.





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Mohammad Ali fined after code breach in Hyderabad Kingsmen thriller

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Mohammad Ali fined after code breach in Hyderabad Kingsmen thriller


Hyderabad Kingsmen fast bowler Mohammad Ali can be seen in action during PSL 11. — Facebook/hhkingsmen

Hyderabad Kingsmen fast bowler Mohammad Ali has been fined 10% of his match fee after pleading guilty to a Level 1 breach of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) Code of Conduct during Friday night’s Eliminator 2 against Islamabad United at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

Ali was found to have violated Article 2.21 of the HBL PSL Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “conduct that brings the game into disrepute”. 

According to officials, the incident took place in the 16th over of Islamabad United’s innings when Faheem Ashraf walked in to bat after the dismissal of Haider Ali.

The charge was levelled by on-field umpires Ahsan Raza and Shahid Saikat, while match referee Roshan Mahanama imposed the sanction.

The Kingsmen went on to beat Islamabad United by two runs to book their place in the PSL 11 final against table-toppers Peshawar Zalmi at the same venue on Sunday, ending United’s campaign in the tournament.

Chasing 187, Islamabad lost Sameer Minhas for six and Mohsin Riaz for five inside the first three overs with 15 runs on the board. Devon Conway and Shadab Khan then added 42 before Saim Ayub dismissed Conway for 30 off 25 balls in the eighth over.

Shadab made 22 off 24 deliveries before falling to Hassan Khan at the start of the 11th over, while Mark Chapman kept Islamabad in the hunt with 43 off 26 balls. Chapman added 64 runs with Haider Ali, who scored 31 off 16 before falling to Mohammad Ali in the 16th over.

Faheem Ashraf and Chris Green then smashed 22 runs off Ali in the penultimate over to leave Islamabad needing six from the last over, but Hunain Shah conceded only three to seal a two-run win. Ali and Hunain took two wickets each, while Akif Javed, Hassan Khan and Saim Ayub picked up one apiece.

Earlier, Hyderabad Kingsmen posted 186/5 after being put in to bat, driven by a 101-run fifth-wicket stand between Usman Khan and Kusal Perera. 

Usman remained unbeaten on 61 off 30 balls, while Perera made 37 from 21 deliveries. Saim Ayub scored 38 and captain Marnus Labuschagne added 40, while Imad Wasim was Islamabad’s standout bowler with 2 for 16 in two overs.





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