The foundation of Zalmi’s triumph was laid by their bowlers, led by Bangladesh pacer Nahid Rana, who produced a fiery spell to restrict Kingsmen to 129 in 18 overs.
Rana’s pace proved decisive as he dismissed Glenn Maxwell for a golden duck and later shattered Hunain Shah’s stumps with a searing yorker, finishing with figures of 2 for 22.
Despite a fighting half-century from Saim Ayub, who scored 54 off 50 balls, Kingsmen struggled to build momentum after losing wickets at regular intervals.
Aaron Hardie complemented Rana’s effort with an outstanding four-wicket haul to keep the opposition in check.
Chasing 130, Zalmi were rocked early as Mohammad Ali removed both Mohammad Haris and skipper Babar Azam inside the first over.
However, the innings was rebuilt through a crucial partnership between Hardie and Abdul Samad.
Hardie anchored the chase with an unbeaten 56 off 39 deliveries, while Samad provided the attacking impetus with a fluent 48 off 34 balls, including four sixes.
Their stand all but sealed the contest before Samad fell late in the innings.
Zalmi eventually reached 130 for 5 in just 15.2 overs, sealing a comfortable win with 28 balls to spare.
Hardie’s all-round brilliance capped a dominant performance, while Rana’s impact with the ball ensured Zalmi controlled the final from the outset.
