Hyderabad Kingsmen head coach Jason Gillespie called for greater accountability from his players after his side's batting unit came up short in a tense loss to Peshawar Zalmi in their Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 match at the National Bank Stadium on Wednesday.

 

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Gillespie identified batting consistency, individual responsibility, and execution during critical phases as the key areas his side needed to address.

 

He did not shy away from criticising his team's top-order failures. 

 

"In our first two games, we simply didn't bat well enough. We've got a lot of exciting talent in our squad, but that does not remove players from accountability," he said. "All our players are expected to do their jobs. If you're selected to play for Hyderabad, you're expected to perform."

 

Gillespie acknowledged that while certain parts of their game are working, a complete performance has remained elusive. 

 

"We're doing some parts of the game really well, but we just need to put the whole package together. We're not doing that consistently at the moment, and that's something we'll be reflecting on."

 

He pinpointed two costly passages of play as the difference. "Tonight's game came down to two small periods with the bat in hand. We lost wickets in the first six overs and again at the back end, despite a good partnership between Marnus and Kusal. We know we need to be better, and we will be."

 

On an optimistic note, the 50-year-old confirmed that Glenn Maxwell is closing in on a return. 

 

"We expect Maxwell to be available in the next couple of games, we're just waiting for final confirmation. We've been close in a few matches, particularly the last two, and we've had opportunities to drive the game forward."

 

Batting first, Hyderabad were bowled out for 145 in 18.2 overs. Their top order offered little resistance, with Maaz Sadaqat making 17, Saim Ayub 14, and Sharjeel Khan and Usman Khan falling for two and a golden duck respectively. Kusal Perera was the standout, scoring 58 off 35 balls with five fours and two sixes. Marnus Labuschagne contributed 27 off 27 balls, while Irfan Khan and Hassan Khan managed nine runs each. Iftikhar Ahmed and Sufiyan Muqeem shared the spin workload to strangle the middle overs.

 

In reply, Zalmi laboured through the chase before Iftikhar Ahmed and Aamer Jamal held their nerve to seal the win off the final ball. Babar Azam top-scored with 43 off 37 balls, hitting six fours, while Kusal Mendis and Michael Bracewell contributed 27 and 25 respectively to keep the chase alive.