On the second day of the National T20 Cup sponsored by ABS Developers, Abbottabad and Karachi Blues secured impressive victories in their respective matches.
Abbottabad Beat Multan in a Thrilling Finish
Abbottabad defeated Multan by eight wickets in a thrilling contest. Chasing a challenging target of 204 runs, Abbottabad required seven runs off the final ball. A no-ball reduced the pressure and yielded a single, leaving the equation favorable.
All-rounder Khushdil Shah then sealed the victory in style by smashing a six. He remained unbeaten on 30 runs off 17 balls, hitting one four and two sixes.
Abbottabad’s innings was anchored by a superb knock from Kamran Ghulam, who played a remarkable unbeaten innings of 95 runs. He struck five fours and seven sixes, narrowly missing out on a century. Kamran Ghulam and Khushdil Shah also built a crucial 81-run partnership for the third wicket, which proved decisive in the chase.
Earlier, opening batter Shahzaib Khan contributed a solid 52 runs from 42 balls, hitting three fours and two sixes to give Abbottabad a steady start.
Multan Post a Big Total
After winning the toss, Multan chose to bat first and posted a formidable total of 203 runs in their allotted 20 overs.
Left-handed batter Moheer Saeed impressed on his T20 debut, scoring 76 runs off 41 balls with eight fours and four sixes. Wicketkeeper-batter Bismillah Khan also played an important innings of 45 runs from 30 balls, hitting six fours and a six.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Shahzad remained unbeaten on 54 runs from just 24 balls, smashing four fours and four sixes to push Multan past the 200-run mark.
For Abbottabad, Shadab Khan was the most successful bowler with three wickets, while Shahab Khan and Razaullah picked up one wicket each.
Karachi Blues Defeat Sialkot
In the second match of the day, Karachi Blues defeated Sialkot by 40 runs in a one-sided contest.
After winning the toss, Sialkot elected to bowl first. Karachi Blues posted a competitive total of 201 runs before being bowled out in 19.2 overs, thanks to impressive half-centuries from Usman Khan and Ehsan Ali.
Usman Khan was declared Player of the Match after scoring a brilliant 81 runs from 39 balls. His aggressive innings included nine fours and four sixes. Opening batter Ehsan Ali also made a valuable contribution, scoring 50 runs from 27 balls with five fours and five sixes.
Karachi Blues found themselves in trouble when six wickets had fallen for 106 runs. However, a crucial 88-run partnership between Usman Khan and Jahandad Khan helped the team recover strongly.
Batting at number eight, Jahandad Khan scored an important 30 runs from 16 balls, hitting two fours and two sixes during the partnership.
For Sialkot, fast bowler Abdul Subhan claimed four wickets, while Mohammad Ali took two wickets.
Sialkot Fall Short in the Chase
In response, Sialkot lost wickets at regular intervals and struggled to build momentum. Karachi Blues’ bowlers dominated the innings, reducing Sialkot to 79 for six at one stage.
Sialkot captain Usama Mir fought hard and scored a quick half-century, making 63 runs off 32 balls with six fours and four sixes. However, his efforts were not enough to take the team to victory.
For Karachi Blues, fast bowlers Khalil Ahmed and Shahnawaz Dahani claimed four and two wickets respectively.
Left-arm spinner Mohammad Taha delivered an impressive spell, taking three wickets for 23 runs in his four overs, while Mehran Mumtaz picked up one wicket.
Upcoming Matches
On Monday, the tournament will continue with two more exciting fixtures. Karachi Whites will face Bahawalpur, while Faisalabad will take on Lahore Whites in the next matches of the tournament.
