Peshawar Zalmi
Peshawar-based cricket franchise in the Pakistan Super League
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| پشاور زلمی | |||
| Nickname | Yellow Storm | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| League | Pakistan Super League | ||
| Personnel | |||
| Captain | Babar Azam | ||
| Coach | Ottis Gibson | ||
| Owner | Javed Afridi[1][2] | ||
| Team information | |||
| City | Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan | ||
| Founded | 2015 | ||
| Home ground | Imran Khan Cricket Stadium[3] | ||
| Capacity | 35,000 | ||
| History | |||
| PSL wins | 2 (2017, 2026) | ||
| Official website | www | ||
| |||
The Peshawar Zalmi (Urdu: پشاور زلمی; Pashto: پېښور زلمي; meaning "Peshawar's Youth") are a professional Twenty20 cricket franchise that compete in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). The team is based in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, and was established in 2015 following the announcement of the inaugural PSL by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).[4] The franchise is owned by Javed Afridi, CEO of Haier Pakistan.[1]
Peshawar Zalmi have won the PSL title twice, in the 2017 and 2026 seasons. They defeated Quetta Gladiators in 2017,[5] and Hyderabad Kingsmen in the 2026 final.[6] The team have also finished as runners-up twice, in 2018 and 2021.[7]
The team's home ground is Imran Khan Cricket Stadium in Peshawar. Babar Azam has captained the side since the 2023 season.[8]
Kamran Akmal is the franchise's all-time leading run-scorer, while Wahab Riaz is its leading wicket-taker.[9][10]
Franchise history
On 3 December 2015, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) unveiled the owners of five city-based franchises for the first season of the Pakistan Super League. The Peshawar franchise was sold to Javed Afridi for US$16 million for a ten-year period.[11][12]
In November 2025, following the conclusion of the original contract, the franchise renewed its rights for another decade (2026–2035). The renewal was based on a valuation conducted by Ernst & Young, which shifted the financial model from US dollars to Pakistani Rupees. Under the new agreement, the annual franchise fee for Peshawar Zalmi was set at Rs. 490 million.[13][14]
2016 season
Peshawar began their 2016 season well, winning their first two matches. After a loss to Quetta Gladiators[15] the team went on to win six of their eight group stage matches and finished first in the points table, qualifying for the playoffs. The first playoff match was against Quetta in qualifier 1. The match came down to the last ball Quetta winning by one run, Peshawar scoring 132 runs in reply to Quetta's 133 runs.[16] As a result of their first-place position in the group table, Peshawar then went on to play Islamabad United in the second qualifier match. Peshawar also lost this match and were eliminated
2017 season

Peshawar traded Aamer Yamin for Sohaib Maqsood of Lahore Qalandars during the off-season.[17] During the 2017 Pakistan Super League players draft they retained 10 players and signed eight, including Overseas players Shakib Al Hasan, Eoin Morgan, Chris Jordan and Alex Hales. Shakib and Tamim were not available for selection during the initial stage of tournament due to national duties as they were in India to play only test match. Later Alex Hales and Shakib Al Hasan were replaced with Tillakaratne Dilshan and Marlon Samuels and Mohammad Shahzad was replaced with Andre Fletcher while Tamim Iqbal was replaced with Samit Patel.[18] [19]
In their first game of PSL 2017, Peshawar Zalmi lost to the Islamabad United by 7 wickets.[20] In their next game against Karachi Kings, Zalmi won by 7 wickets in pursuit of 120 runs. Eoin Morgan starred in the chase with an unbeaten innings of 80 runs off 57 balls.[21] Following this the Zalmi were involved in a low-scoring thriller with the Lahore Qalandars that saw the former collapse in the chase of just 60 runs before getting over the line with 3 wickets to spare.[22]
As the tournament moved to Sharjah, Zalmi's first game against Quetta Gladiators was abandoned after repeated showers and the two teams shared the points from the bout.[23] Following this, against Islamabad United, the Zalmis lost a hard-fought game that went down to the last ball. After being put in to bat by United, Zalmi could only manage a below-par score of 137 runs and never really got going. But the team's bowlers bowled exceedingly well to make a contest out of it.[24] In their final game of the Sharjah leg, the Zalmis continued their losing streak after being beaten by Karachi Kings in a thrilling contest. Setting up a target of 175 runs, the Kings had the Zalmis reduced to 69–6 before Shahid Afridi and Darren Sammy combined in a 70-runs partnership that almost won the game for the Zalmis. However, they couldn't see the game through as the Zalmis fell short by 9 runs.[25]
With the tournament shifting back to Dubai, the Zalmis registered consecutive wins against Lahore Qalandars and Quetta Gladiators respectively. Against the Qalandars, the team put up a target of 167 runs and then successful defended it after inducing a batting collapse of 5 wickets for 6 runs from the opposition. In the end prevailing by 17 runs and securing a playoff spot.[26] But with the Gladiators, the team suffered a batting collapse of their own. Chasing a below-par total of 129 runs, the Zalmis were at one time reduced to 52–6 before a vintage performance from Shahid Afridi, who scored 45 off 23 balls, ensured that his team won with 2 wickets left intact.[27] In the first playoffs (qualifier 1) they faced Gladiators at Sharjah it proved to be a replica of last year qualifier 1 where quetta clinched 1 run win over Zalmi. after sent into bat by Zalmi Quetta gave a huge target of 200 runs thanks to Ahmed Shahzad for his 71 off 38 balls. In reply Zalmi had a poor start losing 2 early wickets for less than 10 runs, then came Mohammad Hafeez who started hitting Gladiators all over the stadium he with Dawid Malan put up a 100+ runs partnership. After Hafeez got out Shahid Afridi came looking in best six hitting form scoring 34 off just 17 balls shifting match in Zalmi's favour, but got out at wrong time and as a result Zalmi collapsed in the last over of the match. Left arm spinner for Quetta, Muhammad Nawaz was the bowler who didn't let Zalmi score 2 runs off last 3 balls hence, Gladiators progressed into the final and Zalmi into the qualifier 2[28] where they defeated Karachi Kings by 24 runs. Batting first Zalmi scored 181 runs for 3 wickets due to Kamran Akmal's brilliant 104 runs from 65 balls. Wahab Riaz and Chris Jordan 3-for took Zalmi into the final for the first time ever. Kamran was adjudged man of the match in the end.[29]
In the final, Zalmis defeated Quetta Gladiators – the runners-up of the inaugural edition of the PSL, by 58 runs batting first. Zalmi's left-arm spinner Mohammad Asghar took 3 wickets for 16 runs. In the first innings, Gladiators' Rayad Emrit took 2 wickets in the 17th over, which left the score at 112 runs for 6 wickets but Darren Sammy clubbed 33 runs in the last two overs taking the Zalmis total to 148 runs.[30]
2018 season
In the opening match of 2018 season, defending champions Zalmi suffered a loss against new entrants Multan Sultans by 7 wickets.[31] The next game, Zalmi secured a comfortable 34-runs win over Islamabad United. Defending a target of 176 runs, Zalmi's debuting fast bowler, Umaid Asif, was the star performer as he reduced the opposition to 25–4 inside the powerplay.[32] Continuing on, the team suffered a loss against Karachi Kings in a closely fought game. Batting first, the Zalmis lost wickets with regular consistency. Only Dwayne Smith's unbeaten innings of 71 runs got them to a respectable total of 131 runs. Defending it, they took the game to the last three balls before the Kings prevailed by 5 wickets.[33]
As the tournament shifted to Sharjah, the team won a thriller against rivals Quetta Gladiators. Batting first, the Gladiators set a target of 143 runs in a batting display that was punctuated with starts and stops on a two-paced pitch. In reply, the Zalmis were on course for victory at 107–2 before losing three quick wickets to end up requiring 22 runs from the last two overs. At this point, an injured Darren Sammy single-handedly won the match for his team by striking 16 runs from 4 balls to finish the game with 2 balls to go.[34] The following game, the Zalmis beat Lahore Qalandars comfortably in the chase of a low target of 101 runs. The margin of the win was 10 wickets – the first such instance in the history of the PSL. Additionally, this was the first game for Zalmi's main pacer, Hasan Ali this season as he had been sidelined due to an injury.[35]
In the final, Peshawar Zalmi lost to Islamabad United by three wickets. Peshawar Zalmi won the toss and elected to bat first. Peshawar's in-form batsman Kamran Akmal was out lbw for 1 run off 8 balls, with Samit Patel taking the wicket in the third over early on. Chris Jordan and Liam Dawson were involved in a fourth-wicket fifty-partnership. Later, Wahab Riaz's 28 runs off 14 balls ensured their team reached to a total of 148 runs. Islamabad's Luke Ronchi hit five sixes in the first five overs as he raced to 45 runs off just 15 balls, before he got out in the ninth over after scoring a 26-ball 52, batting second. But a sudden collapse resulted in Islamabad losing six wickets for 20 runs leaving them at 116/6. Akmal then dropped a catch at fine leg when Asif Ali attempted a pull shot off Umaid Asif with Islamabad needing 30 runs off 33 balls. Asif Ali then hit three sixes on the trot off Hasan Ali. Islamabad's Faheem Ashraf hooked Wahab Riaz for six with just one run required in the 17th over.[36]
2019 season
Peshawar Zalmi finished the group stage with first position by winning seven of their matches and losing only three. Peshawar came on top because of the higher run rate.[37] Peshawar Zalmi lost to Quetta Gladiators in the qualifier by 10 runs.[38]
In the final in Karachi, Peshawar Zalmi lost to Gladiators by 8 wickets becoming the runners up.[39]
2020 season
In January before the season started, they signed Hashim Amla as batting mentor of the team, replacing Younis Khan for the job.[40][41]
2021 season
Peshawar Zalmi concluded the tournament in the Pakistan Super League with a respectable standing. Having played 10 matches, they secured 5 wins and experienced 5 losses, accumulating a total of 10 points.
2022 season
2023 season
2024 season
2025 season
Zalmi finished 5th on the points table and exited in group stage.
2026 season
Peshawar Zalmi were coached by Ottis Gibson and captained by Babar Azam during the 2026 Pakistan Super League.[42] They finished the league stage at the top of the points table with 17 points, losing one match during the group stage.[43] Peshawar qualified for the final after defeating Islamabad United by 70 runs in the Qualifier.[44]
In the final, played on 3 May 2026 at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, Peshawar Zalmi defeated Hyderabad Kingsmen by five wickets to win their second Pakistan Super League title.[45] Hyderabad were bowled out for 129 in 18 overs, and Peshawar reached the target in 15.2 overs, finishing on 130/5.[46] Aaron Hardie was named player of the match after taking 4 wickets for 27 runs and scoring an unbeaten 56.[47]
Team identity
The team's identity was unveiled on 13 December 2015 by owner Javed Afridi at the Army Public School Peshawar. The name Zalmi is a Pashto word meaning "youth."[48] The logo depicts a traditional Peshawari turban with cricket stumps, using shades of blue, yellow, and white to represent the region's pride, skies, and energy of the people.[49] Originally yellow and blue, the kit colours switched to yellow and black starting in PSL 4.[50]
In 2019, Nielsen valued the franchise at US$40.5 million, ranking it as Pakistan's biggest sports entity. The team has engaged various celebrity ambassadors over the years, including actors Hamza Ali Abbasi, Mahira Khan, Humaima Malick, and Sana Javed. Regional artist Gul Panra and Turkish actress Esra Bilgiç have also represented the franchise.[51]
| Year | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor (chest) | Shirt sponsor (back) | Chest branding | Sleeve branding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Zalmi In-House | Bahria Town | Giggly Boom Boom | Brighto Paints | Hum TV, Junaid Jamshed, Zic Oil |
| 2017 | General Petroleum | Jivi Mobiles | Super Power, Jang, Khaleej Times | ||
| 2018 | Haier | RD | MGI | McDonald's Pakistan, Dawn News, Jang | |
| 2019 | Zalmi TV | RD | McDonald's Pakistan, Sprite, TCL | ||
| 2020 | TCL | Huawei | McDonald's Pakistan, Sprite, Airlink, MG | ||
| 2021 | McDonald's Pakistan, Oppo, Airlink | ||||
| 2022 | McDonald's Pakistan, MG, Turkish Airlines | ||||
| 2023 | Gym Armour | McDonald's Pakistan, MG, 100 Century Town, Ventured Knowmads | |||
| 2024 | Ufone | Bank Makramah, Dany Tech, TCL Corporation | |||
| 2025 | Bank Makramah | Cheezious | Clear Men, EFU Insurance, Newage Cables |
International representation
Sponsorship
Turkish Airlines signed a deal to become the official airline sponsor of the franchise for Pakistan Super League 6 starting 20 February 2021.[52]
Global Zalmi
Global Zalmi comprises the International Sports Branches of Peshawar Zalmi spread across 25 countries. Each year the teams from these countries come and play the Global Zalmi League.[citation needed]
Current squad
|
| No. | Name | Nationality | Birth date | Salary | Batting style | Bowling style | Year signed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batsmen | ||||||||
| 56 | Babar Azam | 15 October 1994 | PKR 7.0 crore | Right-handed | Right-arm off break | 2022 | Captain | |
| 43 | Abdul Samad | 25 January 1998 | PKR 2.8 crore | Right-handed | Right-arm leg break | 2025 | ||
| 14 | James Vince | 14 March 1991 | PKR 3.00 crore | Right-handed | Right-arm medium pace | 2026 | ||
| 45 | Mirza Tahir Baig | 15 October 1998 | PKR 60 lakh | Right-handed | Right-arm medium pace | 2026 | ||
| 20 | Farhan Yousaf | 15 December 2007 | PKR 60 lakh | Right-handed | — | 2026 | ||
| 97 | Tanzid Hasan | 1 December 2000 | PKR 60 lakh | Left-handed | — | 2026 | ||
| Wicket-keepers | ||||||||
| 29 | Mohammad Haris | 30 March 2001 | PKR 2.20 crore | Right-handed | — | 2026 | ||
| 1 | Kusal Mendis | 2 February 1995 | PKR 4.20 crore | Right-handed | — | 2026 | ||
| All-rounders | ||||||||
| 21 | Aaron Hardie | 7 January 1999 | PKR 6.30 crore | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast | 2026 | ||
| 4 | Michael Bracewell | 14 February 1991 | PKR 4.20 crore | Left-handed | Right-arm off break | 2026 | ||
| 95 | Iftikhar Ahmed | 3 September 1990 | PKR 1.80 crore | Right-handed | Right-arm off break | 2026 | ||
| 65 | Aamir Jamal | 5 July 1996 | PKR 1.90 crore | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast | 2026 | ||
| 7 | Khalid Usman | 20 May 1986 | PKR 60 lakh | Right-handed | Slow left arm orthodox | 2026 | ||
| 86 | Brian Bennett | 10 November 2003 | PKR 25,67 core | Right-handed | Right-arm off break | 2026 | ||
| Bowlers | ||||||||
| 13 | Sufiyan Muqeem | 15 November 1999 | PKR 4.48 crore | Left-handed | Left-arm unorthodox | 2023 | ||
| 18 | Ali Raza | 18 March 2008 | PKR 1.96 crore | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast | 2025 | ||
| 23 | Abdul Subhan | 14 October 2004 | PKR 62.5 lakh | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast | 2026 | ||
| 49 | Khurram Shahzad | 1 October 1999 | PKR 2.70 crore | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium | 2026 | ||
| 45 | Nahid Rana | 2 October 2002 | PKR 60 lakh | Right-handed | Right-arm fast | 2026 | ||
| 29 | Kashif Ali | N/A | PKR 60 lakh | N/A | N/A | 2026 | ||
| 27 | Shahnawaz Dahani | 5 August 1998 | PKR 60 lakh | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium | 2026 | ||
| 74 | Shoriful Islam | 3 June 2001 | PKR 60 lakh | Left-handed | Left-arm fast-medium | 2026 | ||
| 3 | Mohammad Basit | 1 December 1999 | PKR 60 lakh | Left-handed | Left-arm medium-fast | 2026 | ||
- Source: ESPNcricinfo
Management and coaching staff
| Name | Position |
|---|---|
| Ottis Gibson | Head coach |
| Mohammad Akram | Director of cricket |
| Azhar Mahmood | Assistant & bowling coach |
| Misbah-ul-Haq | Batting coach |
| Azhar Ali | Fielding coach |
| Michael Yardy | Spin bowling & fielding coach |
| Zafar Iqbal | Medical advisor |
| Mian Abbas Layaq | Chief operating officer (COO) |
- Source: Official website Archived 9 January 2024 at the Wayback Machine
Captains
| Name | From | To | Mat | Won | Lost | Tie&W | Tie&L | NR | Win% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shahid Afridi | 2016 | 2016 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 60.00 |
| Darren Sammy | 2017 | 2020 | 39 | 22 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 57.89 |
| Mohammad Hafeez | 2018 | 2018 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Wahab Riaz | 2020 | 2022 | 28 | 13 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 48.21 |
| Shoaib Malik | 2021 | 2022 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Babar Azam | 2023 | present | 32 | 15 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46.87 |
| Tom Kohler-Cadmore | 2023 | 2023 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
Source: ESPNcricinfo, Last updated: 26 March 2024
Result summary
Overall result in PSL
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Performance visuals
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Head-to-head record
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Key: ■ PZ Won | ■ IU | ■ KK | ■ LQ | ■ MS | ■ QG
Source: ESPNcricinfo, Last updated: 23 February 2026
Statistics
- As of 22 February 2026
Most runs
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- Source: ESPNcricinfo
Most wickets
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- Source: ESPNcricinfo