The PSL 2026 is not too far away, and the homework assigned to the two major teams has begun. Zalmi had a season that was worth forgetting. The batting order of United got down to one half. Both teams still have some work to do before the first ball is bowled on March 26.
Peshawar Zalmi: A Proud Team With Something to Prove
The 2025 Hangover
Zalmi finished fifth last season. For most teams, that would just be a bad year. For Zalmi, it was historic in the worst possible way. In the nine PSL campaigns they have been in, they have not missed a single loss. They took part in three consecutive finals between 2017 and 2019, and they were the champions in 2017 also. Thus, getting out in the group stage for the first time did hurt badly. This squad knows what is expected of them, & they know 2025 cannot happen again.
Babar Still Leads
PKR 70 million is the retention price of Zalmi franchise for the current year for Babar Azam. The management of the team which he has been doing since 2023. Retaining him will send a strong message from the franchise but it doesn’t lessen the scrutiny either.
Where Zalmi Looks Strong
This squad actually has some smart pieces in it. Aaron Hardie, Michael Bracewell, Iftikhar Ahmed, & Aamer Jamal form a proper all-round core. What makes this group useful is how flexible they are across venues. Hardie & Jamal suit the pace-friendly surface at Lahore. Bracewell & Iftikhar make more sense at spin-friendly Karachi. A team that can pick the right XI for the right pitch has a real advantage in a long tournament.
The young Pakistani players in this squad are also genuinely interesting. A glance at the Under-19 World Cup: Abdul Subhan and Ali Raza. Not long ago, Farhan Yousaf, who was captain of the team, scored well in the National T20 Cup Peshawar. This month Abdul Samad made his ODI debut. Sufiyan Muqeem is in the mix, too. There is fresh energy in this group, & some of these lads could surprise people.
Where Zalmi Could Struggle
Babar is the obvious talking point, & it has been for a while now. His value to this side is real, but it depends entirely on his batting the way he can. He anchors the innings, & that gives the hitters around him the freedom to go hard. When Babar is at his best, that formula works. During the last season, it didn’t work. He scored only 288 runs during PSL 2025, his worst returns in a full-band PSL season. He was dropped for Pakistan’s final game in a low-key T20 World Cup that took place. The spotlight on his T20 batting is not going away, & this tournament is a big moment for him personally.
There is also a potential availability headache. Tanzid Hasan, Nahid Rana, & Shoriful Islam are three Bangladesh players in their squad who could leave midway through the tournament. Bangladesh has a white-ball series against New Zeal & starting April 17, & those three may have to go. Losing three fast bowlers from your squad mid-competition is not something any team wants to deal with.
Islamabad United: History on Their Side, Uncertainty in the XI
What Happened Last Season
United started PSL 2025 like a team on a mission. Five wins from five. They looked like they could become back-to-back champions. Then the wheels came off. Four straight losses followed. The XI kept changing because of injuries & rotation. By the time the knockouts arrived, they had lost their rhythm completely & went out in Qualifier 2. A team with 61 PSL wins & three titles to its name knows that kind of finish is not acceptable.
Leadership Responsibility
Shadab Khan & Imad Wasim are the senior figures carrying United's campaign this year. Both have done it for this franchise before. Both are under real pressure, though, not just as leaders but as players too.
Where United Look Strong
The fast bowling group is solid. Salman Mirza, Salman Irshad, Richard Gleeson, Mohammad Hasnain, &Faheem Ashraf, between them, cover every phase of an innings. Mirza, Hasnain, & Ashraf are good with the new ball & bring the ball back off the pitch with offcutters. Gleeson & Irshad are reliable in the back end when teams need yorkers on demand. It is a varied & experienced group.
Getting Faheem Ashraf back is good news for United. He adds another bowling option & gives them a left-handed batter who can come in & hit hard at different spots in the order. He has been playing well recently, which makes it even better timing.
Where United Could Struggle
Spin is a worry. Shadab & Imad are experienced names, but their bowling form over the last couple of seasons has not matched their reputations. Since January, Imad hasn't participated. The National T20 Cup team's backup spinner, Mehran Mumtaz, took three wickets in four matches. On turning Karachi pitches, this could become a problem that is hard to paper over.
Batting is the real challenge, though. Sahibzada Farhan scored the most runs for United last season, & he is gone. Alex Hales is gone. Rassie van der Dussen has left. Salman Ali Agha & Azam Khan are both out, too. Five batters, including some of their most destructive players, have walked out the door in one go. Building a new batting group that plays the aggressive way United likes to play is not easy. If it takes time to come together, then early results could put unnecessary pressure on the whole campaign.
How It Looks Heading In
Zalmi needs Babar to find his T20 game again. Their young players need to grab their chances. They need a plan ready in case their Bangladesh trio leaves early. United need their new batting lineup to click before it is too late, & their spinners to start earning their spots properly. Both franchises have the names & the history to go far in this tournament. PSL 2026 will show quickly enough whether they have the form to back it up.