Glenn Maxwell’s arrival helped Marnus Labuschagne’s Hyderabad record a vital victory
Marnus Labuschagne has hit his first half-century of the Pakistan Super League to guide his Hyderabad Kingsmen to their second win of the season to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Labuschagne was named the new franchise’s inaugural captain and his unbeaten 61 earned him player-of-the-match honours for the first time as they defeated Islamabad United by six wickets.
Chasing 154 to win in Karachi, the Queensland skipper anchored the innings as Maaz Sadaqat (30 off 16) and Saim Ayub (35 off 26) got the run rate moving in the right direction.
After a slowish start to the tournament with the bat, Labuschagne moved himself up to open with the left-handed Sadaqat and said the change is already paying off.
“I’m pretty happy to get that second win. Each game we’re growing and we’re learning,” Labuschagne said after the match.
“Maaz and Siam played so well … I just knew I had to be there at the end and let the power hitters do their thing.
“The left-right combination at the top is helping, because it allows the bowlers not to have match ups. We’re growing in confidence.”
Sydney Thunder allrounder Chris Green, who was captaining Islamabad in the absence of Shadab Khan, was excellent with the ball and took 2-19 from his four overs.
But he lacked support and the match was finished off by opposition allrounder Glenn Maxwell, who hit two sixes in his 21 off nine balls.
It was Maxwell’s first appearance of the tournament, having only joined his Kingsmen teammates the day prior.
Earlier, the 37-year-old Victorian was terrific with the ball too, taking 1-21 from four overs. It helped restrict Islamabad to 9-153, after seamer Asif Memhmood took a remarkable four wickets for three runs in the final over of the innings.
The win boosts Hyderabad up to sixth place on the table, with two wins from their six matches.
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
Rawalpindi Pindiz: Usman Khawaja
