ISLAMABAD: Abdullah Shafique (96) and Usama Mir (4-42) combined to give Sialkot a much-deserving 31-run victory against Abbottabad in the ABS Developers National T20 Cup 2026 at the Imran Khan Cricket Stadium in Peshawar, Saturday.
Put into bat first, Sialkot amassed 202 for 6 with Abdullah Shafiq striking seven sixes and four boundaries during his 54-ball knock.
He was ably supported by Hasan Nawaz (57) who smashed three sixes and six fours during his 34-ball stay. Both put on 145 runs for the third wicket to take the game away from Abbottabad.
Abbottabad in reply could manage 171 with Usama Mir (4-41) yet again turning out to be the pick of bowlers for Sialkot.
For Abbottabad, Sajjad Ali (40), Aitezaz Khan (28) and Raza Ullah (25) played well. Earlier, in a late Friday night match, Bahawalpur Region pulled off a four-wicket win over Lahore Region Whites in a last-over thriller.
Bahawalpur edged Lahore Whites by four wickets with two balls to spare while chasing 197.
With 11 required off the final over of the innings bowled by skipper Aamer Jamal, Haider Ali was beaten off the first delivery before sending the second ball over midwicket into the stands for a maximum.
Haider fetched two runs off the third delivery before striking the winning runs with a boundary off the fourth to seal a four-wicket win for his side. Haider remained unbeaten on 65 off 43 balls, hitting five fours and four sixes.
In pursuit of the target, Bahawalpur lost opening batter Mohammad Sudais for naught in the first over before Mohammad Faizan Zafar (28, 22b, 2x4s, 1x6) added 68 with top scorer Saad Khan.
Saad then shared another 45-run alliance with Haider Ali before being dismissed in the 12th over after scoring 65 off 30 deliveries laced with seven fours and four sixes as the scoreboard read 115 for three in 11.1 overs.
Mohammad Rameez Jnr returned figures of 4-0-21-3, while Aamir, Ubaid Shah and Naseem Shah picked up one wicket each.
Electing to bat first, Lahore Whites lost opening batter Muhammad Akhlaq (2) and Mohammad Saleem (4) in the third over with 14 on the board. Top-scorer Faiq (63, 42b, 5x4s, 3x6s) then shared a 110-run stand for third wicket with Tayyab Tahir (46, 34b, 7x4s).
Following Tayyab and Faiq’s dismissal in the 15th over to Mohammad Sarwar Afridi (4-0-39-2), Farhan Yousaf added 67 off 31 with Mohammad Mohsin for the fifth wicket to lift Lahore Whites to 196 for five in 20 overs.
Mohsin remained unbeaten on 32 off 16, smashing three fours and two sixes while Farhan got out on the final delivery of the innings after scoring an 18-ball 39, supported by four fours and one six.
Bahawalpur Region beat Lahore Region Whites by four wickets at Imran Khan Cricket Stadium, Peshawar
Lahore Whites 196-5, 20 overs (Mohammad Faiq 63, Tayyab Tahir 46, Farhan Yousaf 39, Mohammad Mohsin 32 not out; Mohammad Sarwar Afridi 2-39)
Bahawalpur 198-6, 19.4 overs (Haider Ali 65 not out, Saad Khan 65, Mohammad Faizan Zafar 28; Mohammad Rameez 3-21)
Match 15: Sialkot Region beat Abbottabad Region by 31 runs at Imran Khan Cricket Stadium, Peshawar
Sialkot: 202-6, 20 overs (Abdullah Shafique 96, Hasan Nawaz 57; Shahab Khan 5-25) Abbottabad 171 all out, 20 overs (Sajjad Ali 40, Aitezaz Khan 28, Raza Ullah 25; Usama Mir 4-42, Mohammad Ali 2-23, Shoaib Akhtar Jnr 2-31, Ahsan Hafeez Bhatti 2-31)
