Emotional Labuschagne leads Hyderabad into PSL final

It's not unusual for Marnus Labuschagne to be emotional on the cricket field but even he is rarely described as going "berserk" as he was after leading his Hyderabad Kingsmen team into the Pakistan Super League final after a last-ball thriller.

It had come down to the last ball in Lahore. Chris Green, the Australian T20 specialist, had to hit it for four to book Islamabad United a place in the final.    

Green was 21 not out off eight balls while bowler Hunain Shah had conceded 35 off his first three overs. But Shah had only conceded two singles in five balls of the final over having concocted a plan with captain Labuschagne to set a straight field and bowl yorkers.

Green knew what was coming, everyone in the Gaddafi Stadium did. But Shah nailed the leg-stump yorker and all Green could do was scramble a leg bye. 

The Kingsmen celebrated wildly, with Labuschagne to the fore, then Shah, younger brother of Test bowler Naseem, was chaired off by his jubilant teammates.

Kingsmen now meet Aaron Hardie's Peshawar Zalmi, who finished top of the regular season with eight wins and one defeat, in Sunday's final. Zalmi should be favourites but Kingsmen have the momentum.

This is their debut season and they lost the first four matches, but in a remarkable turnaround won seven of their last eight, including playoffs against Steve Smith's Multan Sultans and Islamabad.

Labuschagne, who made 39 in 32 balls in a much-needed return to form, was overcome with emotion.

"I don't have words to describe what we've done today," he said. 

"This team; we're providing entertainment, that's for sure. It looked like we were going to win relatively comfortably and then we don't and then all of a sudden it looks like it's over; we pack our bags and we're going home. 

"And then Hunain Shah steps in and goes for three in the last over to win the game with only four fielders out. We've become that team and I've got goosebumps just talking about it. 

"I think it was actually perfect that we only had four fielders out because it made it simple; have everyone straight and just try to bowl six yorkers."

Labuschagne lost fellow opener Maaz Sadaqat before he'd personally faced a ball and with Green (1-19 off three) tying him down boundaries were rare. At the ten-over halfway stage Kingmen were 2-74. Three balls later Labuschagne hit the first six of the innings but he and Glenn Maxwell (three off six) perished in the next over.

However, Usman Khan (61no off 30) and Kusal Perrera (37 off 21) added 101 off 50 balls as Hyderabad closed at 5-186.

Kiwis Devon Conway (30 off 25) and Mark Chapman (43 off 26) kept United in the hunt before Green took them to the brink of victory as the penultimate over went for 22.

But when it mattered Shah and Labuschagne kept their cool, then exploded with joy when it was over.

Australians in PSL 2026

Hyderabad Kingsmen: Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Riley Meredith

Islamabad United: Chris Green

Karachi Kings: David Warner, Adam Zampa

Lahore Qalandars: Daniel Sams

Multan Sultans: Josh Philippe, Lachlan Shaw, Peter Siddle, Steve Smith, Ashton Turner

Peshawar Zalmi: Aaron Hardie

Quetta Gladiators: Sam Harper, Ben McDermott

Rawalpindiz: Usman Khawaja