LIAM Dawson missed out on his first cup final win since Hampshire’s 2012 double when Peshawar Zalmi lost tonight’s Pakistan Super League final against Islamabad United.

Former Bashley CC star Luke Ronchi smashed a 26-ball 52 as Islamabad won by three wickets, with 3.1 overs to spare at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

That secured the New Zealander the man-of-the-series accolade and his place at the top of the PSL run charts with 435 at an average of 43.5 – and a strike rate of 182.

Batting at five, Dawson made a 30-ball 33, but Peshawar could only manage a below par 148-9 after winning the toss.

The Hampshire all-rounder put on 52 with Chris Jordan in a fourth-wicket partnership of 52 with the England man.

But Peshawar lost their last seven wickets for 58 runs.

Dawson was restricted to one four, a delightful stroke over cover, and a six over corner against medium pacer Fahim Ashraf before he was bowled by Mohammad Sami midway through the 17th over.

At that point, Peshawar were 116-8.

The defending champions would have had even less to bowl at but for an unbroken last-wicket stand of 27 from just 13 balls, most of which were made by Wahab Riaz (28no from 14 deliveries).

Spinners Samit Patel (4-0-26-2) and Shadab Khan (4-0-25-3) were the pick of the Islamabad attack.

Ronchi shared an opening partnership of 96 in 8.5 overs with Sahibzada Farhan (44) to put Islamabad firmly on course.

He hit four fours and five sixes, including ten in two balls during Dawson’s only over, before becoming one one Jordan’s two scalps as the Sussex man recorded figures of 3-0-22-3.

Bowling first change, Dawson began with successive dot balls against Ronchi before conceding 15 from his last four deliveries.

Jordan bowled Peshawar back into the game as Islamabad slipped to 116-6 after 14 overs.

But Asif Ali fired three successive sixes against Hasan Ali as Isalamabad won their second PSL title.