Defending champions — nine years later
Peshawar Zalmi won their first PSL title in 2017, beating Quetta Gladiators by 58 runs in Lahore. Then came the long wait: four lost finals, and nine years without a trophy, before the 2026 final brought it back. They chased 185 against Hyderabad Kingsmen at Gaddafi Stadium on 3 May 2026 and won by five wickets, with two balls to spare.
That win changed what Peshawar Zalmi are. For nine years they were the league’s nearly team — always there, always short. Now they are the champions, and PSL 12 is the first season they start as the team everyone else is trying to beat. No team has defended the PSL except Lahore Qalandars in 2022 and 2023, so the history Zalmi are chasing is a short list.
Babar Azam captained the side in 2026, steadying the chase in the final and leading from the front all season. His captaincy is the first thing to settle for 2027: a defending champion that keeps its captain starts the season with its identity intact.
PSL Schedule · PSL Points Table · PSL Results · Pakistan Super League
Peshawar Zalmi squad — to be confirmed
There is no 2027 squad to list yet. The retentions window runs until Tuesday 13 January 2027, and the player auction is on Saturday 23 January 2027 — only after that will the squads take shape. The 2026 squad is not carried over here as a 2027 squad: retentions and the auction decide who stays.
| Detail | What is verified |
|---|---|
| Captain (2026) | Babar Azam |
| PSL titles | 2 — 2017, 2026 |
| Finals lost | 4 — the most of any franchise |
| 2027 squad | TBC — retentions end 13 Jan 2027, auction Sat 23 Jan 2027 |
Squad TBC — retentions end 13 Jan 2027, auction 23 Jan 2027. Captains and titles shown are from 2026 and earlier, not 2027.
Fixtures — the full list is not published yet
The PCB has not published the full PSL 12 fixture list, so Peshawar Zalmi’s ten league opponents and dates are not known yet. What is known is the shape of the season: 18 March to 2 May 2027, 44 matches in all, at five to six venues across Pakistan.
Each team plays ten league matches — every opponent twice — and the top four reach the playoffs. The final is on Sunday 2 May 2027 at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, the same ground where Zalmi won the 2026 final. Once the PCB publishes the fixtures, this page will list Peshawar’s matches in order.
| What | Date |
|---|---|
| Retentions window ends | Tue 13 Jan 2027 |
| Player auction | Sat 23 Jan 2027 |
| Season starts | Thu 18 Mar 2027 |
| Final — Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore | Sun 2 May 2027 |
The PCB has not published the full fixture list yet. The dates above are the confirmed ones; the rest of the schedule is TBC.
The champions have to do it again
Peshawar’s strength is the one thing no other team in PSL 12 has: they know how this season ends, because they just lived it. The 2026 final was won from a chase, under pressure, with two balls to spare — the kind of win that settles a dressing room. A defending champion does not need to learn how to win a final. It needs to remember how.
What to watch is the retention list. Champions usually keep their core, and Zalmi’s core is built around Babar Azam. If the batting group that chased 185 in the final stays together, Peshawar start 2027 as favourites. If the auction breaks it up, the title defence starts with a rebuild, and rebuilds rarely defend titles.
The other watch point is the target on their back. Every team raises its game against the champions, and the league has a new franchise and a runners-up side with a point to prove. Zalmi will not get an easy match in PSL 12 — that is what being champions costs.
The table and the top four
The points table is empty — PSL 12 starts on Thursday 18 March 2027, and the first standings appear after Match 1. Eight teams play ten league matches each, and the top four go through to the playoffs. With eight teams instead of six, the middle of the table is tighter: a side can win half its games and still miss out, so dropped points against the bottom teams hurt more than they used to.
For Peshawar, the maths is the same as for everyone else, but the expectation is different. Champions do not aim for fourth place. The realistic target is a top-two finish, which brings two chances at the final; fourth place means one bad day ends the defence. SialTV will update this page after every match day, through the final on 2 May.
Frequently asked questions
Who captains Peshawar Zalmi in PSL 2027?
Not announced yet. Babar Azam captained Peshawar Zalmi in 2026, including the final win over Hyderabad Kingsmen; the 2027 captain will be confirmed after the retentions and the auction on 23 January 2027.
How did Peshawar Zalmi win PSL 2026?
They beat Hyderabad Kingsmen by five wickets in the final at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, on 3 May 2026, chasing 185 with two balls to spare. It was their second title, nine years after their first in 2017.
When is Peshawar Zalmi’s 2027 squad announced?
After the player auction on Saturday 23 January 2027. The retentions window ends on 13 January, and this page will list the squad once the franchise confirms it.
When do Peshawar Zalmi play first in PSL 2027?
The full fixture list has not been published by the PCB yet, so the date of their first match is TBC. The season starts on Thursday 18 March 2027 and runs to the final on Sunday 2 May 2027.