National T20 Cup Archives

Babar Azam, Naseem Shah added to Lahore Whites squad for National T20 Cup

Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam and fast bowler Naseem Shah have been included in the Lahore Whites squad for the upcoming National T20 Cup, scheduled to take place at the Imran Khan Cricket Stadium in Peshawar from March 7 to 18.

The star duo were not part of the initial squad announcement but have now been drafted into the side ahead of the tournament. Both players will represent Lahore Whites under the captaincy of all-rounder Aamir Jamal.

The National T20 Cup is set to begin on Saturday, March 7, with the semi-finals scheduled for March 17 and the final to be played on March 18.

A total of 23 matches will be staged at the Imran Khan Cricket Stadium, which previously hosted nine Quaid-e-Azam Trophy matches in October and November 2025.

The tournament will feature 10 regional teams: Abbottabad, Bahawalpur, Faisalabad, Peshawar, Karachi Whites, Karachi Blues, Lahore Blues, Lahore Whites, Multan and Sialkot.

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Lahore Whites have been placed in Group A alongside Peshawar, Faisalabad, Karachi Whites and Bahawalpur. Defending champions Lahore Blues headline Group B, which also includes Sialkot, Multan, Abbottabad and Karachi Blues.

The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals. During the group stage, which runs from March 7 to 16, two matches will be played daily.

The first fixture will begin at 4:15 PM PKT, while the second match will start at 9:15 PM PKT.

Lahore Whites will open their campaign against Peshawar on the opening day of the tournament before facing Faisalabad in their second group-stage match on March 9.

Updated Lahore Whites squad: Aamir Jamal (c), Ali Raza, Ali Shahid Butt, Farhan Yousuf (U21), Babar Azam, Imran Dogar, Junaid Ali (wk), Kamran Afzal, Mohammad Faiq, Ahmed Daniyal, Mohammad Salman, Muhammad Akhlaq, Mohammad Mohsin, Mohammad Rameez Jnr, Muhammad Saleem, Naseem Shah, Samama Riaz, Tayyab Tahir and Ubaid Shah.

READ: Bangladesh announce squad for Pakistan ODI series

PCB unveils squads and schedule for National T20 Cup 2026

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday officially announced the final squads and detailed schedule for the upcoming National T20 Cup 2026.

The tournament will commence on Saturday, March 7, with the semi-finals slated for March 17 and the final scheduled a day later on March 18.

A total of 23 matches will be played at the Imran Khan Cricket Stadium, which previously hosted nine Quaid-e-Azam Trophy fixtures in October and November 2025.

This year’s competition will feature 10 regional sides: Abbottabad, Bahawalpur, Faisalabad, Peshawar, Karachi Whites, Karachi Blues, Lahore Blues, Lahore Whites, Multan and Sialkot.

Group A comprises Lahore Whites, Peshawar, Faisalabad, Karachi Whites and Bahawalpur.

Meanwhile, defending champions Lahore Blues headline Group B alongside Sialkot, Multan, Abbottabad and Karachi Blues.

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The top two teams from each group will progress to the semi-finals.

During the group stage, two matches will be played daily from March 7 to 16. The first fixture will begin at 4:15pm PKT, followed by the second at 9:15pm PKT. The final is set to start at 8:00pm PKT, with the toss scheduled for 7:30pm.

The squads feature a mix of seasoned internationals, emerging prospects and guest players, promising a highly competitive tournament.

Abbottabad will be led by Khalid Usman and include notable names such as Kamran Ghulam, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Wasim Jr., and Shadab Khan as guest players.

Bahawalpur will be captained by Muhammad Imran, with Haider Ali and Daniyal Hussain Rajput among their guest inclusions.

Faisalabad, under Muhammad Irfan Khan, boast the services of Asif Ali, Khurram Shahzad, Mubasir Khan and Zaman Khan.

Karachi Whites will be spearheaded by Saud Shakeel and feature Shan Masood and Saim Ayub, while Karachi Blues, captained by Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, include Shahnawaz Dahani and Mehran Mumtaz among their ranks.

Defending champions Lahore Blues will be led by Saad Nasim, while Lahore Whites will be captained by Aamir Jamal.

Multan have named Imam-ul-Haq as captain, with Aamir Yamin and Faisal Akram part of their setup.

Peshawar will be led by Mohammad Rizwan and feature Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Haris and Abbas Afridi.

Sialkot, under Usama Mir, include Abdullah Shafique and Mohammad Ali among their key players.

National T20 Cup Squads

Abbottabad

Khalid Usman (captain), Afaq Ahmed, Ahmed Khan, Arshad Iqbal, Atizaz Habib Khan, Fayyaz Khan, Kamran Ghulam, Khushdil Shah (Guest), Mohammad Wasim Jnr (Guest), Mohammad Mohsin Khan, Razaullah, Sajjad Ali (wk), Shadab Khan (Guest), Shahab Khan and Shahzaib Khan (U21)

Reserves: Hamid Ali, Adil Naz, Fakhar Zaman, Afaq Khan, Riazullah (U21)

Bahawalpur

Muhammad Imran (captain), Ali Shabbir (U21), Daniyal Hussain Rajput (Guest), Mohammad Faizan Zafar, Haider Ali (Guest), Hasnain Majid (U21), Khaqan Basheer, Mohammad Akram (wk), Mohammad Azab, Mohammad Basit, Mohammad Junaid, Muhammad Sarwar Afridi (Guest), Mohammad Sudais, Mohammad Umair and Saad Khan (Guest)

Reserves: Ali Hamza Waseem, Aoun Shahzad, Mohammad Faizan (U21), Amjad Ali, Gulfam Aziz

Faisalabad

Muhammad Irfan Khan (captain), Ahmad Safi Abdullah, Afaq Afridi (Guest), Asif Ali, Asim Ali Nasir (wk), Atiq-ur-Rehman, Daniyal Ali Khan (U21), Faham-ul-Haq (U21), Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Faizan, Mohammad Zeeshan (U21), Momin Qamar (U21), Mubasir Khan (Guest), Muhammad Awais Zafar and Zaman Khan (Guest)

Reserves: Mudassir Zunair, Ali Shan, Ali Asfand, Taimur Sultan, Shehzad Gul

Karachi Whites

Saud Shakeel (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Arif Yaqoob, Danish Aziz, Haroon Arshad (U21), Khawaja Mohammad Nafay (wk), Mohammad Asghar, Muhammad Hamza Sohail, Muhammad Umar, Omair Bin Yousuf, Rizwanullah, Saifullah Bangash (wk), Saim Ayub, Saqib Khan and Shan Masood

Reserves: Asadullah Hamza, Muhammad Tariq Khan, Sohail Khan (wk), Mir Hamza, Huzaifa Ahsan

Karachi Blues

Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (captain, wk), Ahsan Ali, Asad Akhtar, Jahandad Khan (Guest), Jahanzaib Sultan, Khalil Ahmed (Guest), Mehran Mumtaz (Guest), Mohammad Taha, Muhammad Usman Raheem, Rameez Aziz, Rehman Ghani, Saad Baig (wk), Shahnawaz Dahani (Guest), Syed Shah Raza Naqvi and Wahaj Riaz

Reserves: Aarish Ali Khan, Raza Chandio, Mohammad Makki, Niqab Shafiq, Huzaifa Munir

Lahore Blues

Saad Nasim (captain), Abdullah Asif (U21), Ahmed Bashir, Ali Hassan Baloch (U21), Ali Razzaq, Asadullah, Attyab Ahmed, Hamza Zahoor (wk), Hunain Shah, Imran Butt, Mohammad Rizwan, Nisar Ahmed, Qasim Akram, Shahid Aziz (Guest) and Umar Siddiq

Reserves: Hammad Butt, Shahrukh Ali, Khawaja Mohammad Abdullah (wk), Mohammad Ahsan, Abubakar (U21)

Lahore Whites

Aamir Jamal (captain), Ali Raza, Ali Shahid Butt, Farhan Yousuf (U21), Imran Dogar, Junaid Ali (wk), Kamran Afzal, Mohammad Faiq, Muhammad Akhlaq, Mohammad Mohsin, Mohammad Rameez Jnr, Muhammad Saleem, Samama Riaz, Tayyab Tahir and Ubaid Shah

Reserves: Hamza Nawaz (U21), Muhammad Arsalan (U21), Usama Tariq, Zahid Khan, Zian Bin Farooq (wk)

Multan

Imam-ul-Haq (captain), Aamir Yamin, Ali Majid, Ali Usman, Bismillah Khan (Guest, wk), Faisal Akram, Hasan Hafeez, Mohammad Ismail (U21), Mohammad Naeem (Guest), Muhammad Shahzad, Moheer Saeed, Sharoon Siraj, Sirajuddin, Waseem Akram Jnr and Zain Abbas

Reserves: Uzair Mumtaz, Abdul Wahab (U21), Mohammad Shan (U21), Saim Ayaz, Alam Zaib Khan (wk)

Peshawar

Mohammad Rizwan (captain, wk), Ahmed Hussain (U21), Azam Khan, Ihsanullah, Iftikhar Ahmed, Israrullah, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Shoaib (U21), Mohammad Imran Jnr, Nabi Gul, Sajid Khan, Usman Tariq, Waqar Ahmed and Yasir Khan

Reserves: Nizar Ali, Muhammad Amir Khan, Abuzar Tariq, Muhammad Amir Barki

Sialkot

Usama Mir (captain), Abdullah Shafique, Ahmad Hassan, Ahsan Hafeez Bhatti, Ali Afzal (wk), Athar Mehmood, Azan Awais, Hamza Nazar, Khawaja Arham, Mirza Tahir Baig, Mohsin Riaz (wk), Mohammad Ali, Saeed Ali, Shoaib Akhtar Jnr and Tayyab Arif

Reserves: Aashir Mehmood, Mohammad Hurraira, Shahzad Bhatti, Abdul Subhan, Awais Ali, Afzaal Manzoor

Hasan Nawaz and Sufyan Moqim will join the squad later.

READ: Babar Azam out as Pakistan name ODI squad for Bangladesh series

Sahibzada Farhan levels Fakhar Zaman’s record during National T20 Cup

Sahibzada Farhan has etched his name alongside Fakhar Zaman in the record books with a breathtaking display of batting during the ongoing National T20 Cup.

The 29-year-old opening batter has taken the National T20 Cup by storm, amassing 588 runs in just six innings.

His scorching form has seen him surpass his own previous record for the most runs in a single National T20 Cup season, which stood at 492 runs in 12 innings.

Farhan has also matched Fakhar Zaman’s national record for the most runs in a single edition of a T20 tournament. However, what makes his feat even more remarkable is the pace at which he achieved it.

Fakhar set the record during the 2022 Pakistan Super League (PSL) in 13 innings, whereas Farhan has equaled that tally in less than half the matches.

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His latest innings, a blistering 148* in the semi-final against Abbottabad, was yet another demonstration of his sheer dominance, powering Peshawar into the tournament’s final with ease.

Sahibzada Farhan has been relentless throughout the National T20 Cup, starting with an unbeaten 114 against Lahore Whites before carrying his form forward with knocks of 62, 76, 162*, 26, and now 148*.

His 162* against Quetta was a standout performance, not just in this tournament but in Pakistan’s T20 history, as it broke Kamran Akmal’s eight-year-old record of the highest individual T20 score by a Pakistani batter.

With such dominant performances, Farhan is making a strong case for a return to the national setup. The 29-year-old has played nine T20Is for Pakistan but has struggled to cement his place.

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Sahibzada Farhan’s blazing ton powers Peshawar to National T20 Cup final

FAISALABAD: A sensational century from Sahibzada Farhan and an all-round bowling effort helped Peshawar cruise into the National T20 Cup final with a dominant win in the first semifinal against Abbottabad at Iqbal Stadium here on Wednesday.

Batting first after being put in, Peshawar Region posted a mammoth 243/3 in their 20 overs, completely dismantling Abbottabad’s bowling attack.

The charge was led by Farhan’s breathtaking 148 off just 72 balls, an innings packed with 10 fours and 12 sixes, striking at a staggering 205.56.

Sahibzada Farhan found early support from Waqar Ahmed, who contributed a steady 34 off 27 balls before departing at 116/1 in the 12th over. Maaz Sadaqat then kept the momentum going with a quickfire 31 off 17 balls, laced with four boundaries and a six.

But it was the final flourish that made Peshawar’s total even more daunting. Muhammad Amir Barki smashed 20 off just five balls, striking at 400, while Iftikhar Ahmed remained unbeaten on 2 as they finished in commanding fashion.

Abbottabad’s bowlers had no answers, with Shahab Khan, Yasir Shah, and Ahmed Khan managing a wicket each. Their cause wasn’t helped by eight extras, including six wides and two no-balls.

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Chasing 244, Abbottabad needed a near-perfect start, and Shahzaib Khan provided hope with a fighting 53 off 43 balls, hitting six fours and two sixes.

Sajjad Ali Hashmi played an aggressive 37 off just 22 balls at a strike rate of 168.18, but his dismissal at 74 in the 7th over halted the momentum.

A brief counterattack from Afaq Ahmed (14 off 6) and Khayam Khan (13 off 6) kept the scoreboard ticking, but the middle order crumbled under pressure.

Atizaz Habib Khan (5), Ahmed Khan (2), and Kamran Ghulam (2) failed to make an impact as wickets kept tumbling.

Khalid Usman (17 off 10) and Shahab Khan (32 off 17)* added some late resistance, but it was too little, too late. Abbottabad eventually finished at 187/8, falling 56 runs short.

For Peshawar, Usman Tariq, Mohammad Imran Jr., Israrullah, and Iftikhar Ahmed took two wickets each, ensuring a comfortable win and sealing a spot in the National T20 Cup final.

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National T20 Cup: Sahibzada Farhan’s record-breaking knock sends Peshawar to Quarter-finals

FAISALABAD: Sahibzada Farhan stamped his authority in National T20 Cup 2024-25 with a record-breaking 162* against Quetta to confirm Peshawar Region’s Quarter-final berth at the Multan Cricket Stadium on Friday.

The 32-match group stage of the National T20 Cup 2024-25 came to an end with Lahore Whites, Peshawar Region, Karachi Region Whites and Lahore Region Blues qualifying for the Quarter-final.

Lahore Whites finished top of Group A as they defeated Karachi Blues at the Multan Cricket Stadium by eight runs while defending 146, courtesy player of the match Ubaid Shah’s three-wicket burst.

After being asked to bat, Lahore Whites managed to score 146-9 in their 20 overs. Mohammad Mohsin scored a 38-ball 47 inclusive of four boundaries and one six. Karachi Blues’ Mohammad Hamza returned figures of 3-35 in his four overs.

In reply, Ubaid Shah (4-0-27-3) led the Lahore Whites’ charge as Karachi Blues were restricted to 138-9 in 20 overs. Mohammad Salman pitched in with two wickets.

In Group A Lahore Whites, Peshawar and Karachi Blues finished with six points each. Blues missed out on qualification to the next stage due to lesser net run-rate than the other two teams.

Lahore Whites’ win earlier in the day meant Peshawar needed to win their game by a handsome margin to secure their quarter-final berth. Sahibzada Farhan broke multiple records with his unbeaten 162 off 72 balls, to ensure that his side went through.

After batting first, Peshawar were lifted to 239 in their 20 overs. Sahibzada Farhan, following his impressive form with two half-centuries and a century, scored an outstanding 162 not out, the highest individual score in T20s in Pakistan, which included 14 fours and 11 sixes.

In return, Quetta kept losing wickets at regular intervals and were eventually bundled out for 113 in 19.3 overs.

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Abdul Wahid Bangalzai scored a 47-ball 46 while Usman Tariq returned figures of 4-0-17-4. Nizar Ali (4-0-22-3) and Mohammad Imran Jnr (3.3-0-11-2) shared five wickets between them.

At the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad, Shan Masood’s half-century ensured Karachi Whites finished top of their group and kept the four-match unbeaten streak intact.

After being put to bat first, Karachi Whites put 182-5 on the board in the allotted 20 overs, courtesy of a 91-run second-wicket partnership between Shan Masood (51, 30b, 4x4s, 3x6s) and Haroon Arshad (44, 36b, 7x4s).

Wicketkeeper-batter Saad Baig (36 not out, 21b, 6x4s) and Mohamad Taha (30 not out, 21b, 3x4s) stitched a valuable unbeaten 63-run stand for the sixth wicket. Bahawalpur’s Mohammad Faizan bagged 3-13 in his four overs.

In reply, Bahawalpur fell 17 runs shy as they managed to score 165-5 in their 20 overs. Mohammad Faizan Zafar scored a 42-ball 56 including four boundaries and three sixes, but in vain. Mir Hamza collected two wickets.

Karachi Whites’ win earlier in the day meant that the second Group B fixture between Lahore Blues and Islamabad virtually became a knockout game, as the winner would go through to the quarter-finals of the National T20 Cup.

While chasing 119, Imran Butt’s unbeaten 53-ball 63 including nine fours, guaranteed Lahore Blues a quarter-finals berth.

Batting first, Islamabad were restricted to 118-9 in 20 overs. Captain Rohail Nazir top-scored with 39 off 32 including three fours and one six. Hussain Talat starred with the ball as he picked up 4-14 in three overs.

The quarter-finals will be played on 23 and 24 March at the Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad with the first match of each day scheduled to begin at 7 pm PKT.

READ: Sahibzada Farhan smashes joint third-highest T20 score ever in National T20 Cup

Sialkot, Multan book spots in National T20 Cup quarter-finals

FAISALABAD: Sialkot and Multan Regions from Group D sealed their spot in the knock-out stages of the National T20 Cup with dominant victories in their final group-stage matches here at Iqbal Stadium on Thursday.

Under the captaincy of Shoaib Malik, Sialkot topped Group D with six points from three matches, while Multan was equally good with four points from as many matches.

Multan sealed their spot in the quarters after securing a comprehensive victory against FATA by 74 runs, courtesy of Arafat Minha’s all-round performance.

After opting to bat first, Multan posted 167-7 in their allocated 20 overs. Minhas was equally good in batting, scoring a quick-fire 37 off 18 deliveries, laced with three fours and two sixes.

For FATA, Sameen Gul and Asif Ali were the pick of bowlers who claimed two wickets each, while Mohammad Naeem and Azaz Khan picked up one apiece.

FATA struggled in reply to the chase against the disciplined bowling of Multan. Salman Khan top-scored with 22 off 22 balls, while Rehan Afridi and Shahid Aziz could only score 14 runs each.

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FATA was eventually bundled out for 93 in 17.2 overs, thanks to clinical bowling performance from Multan bowlers.

In the 28th match, Sialkot secured an impressive eight-wicket victory over Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), powered by Usama Mir’s economical bowling and an explosive innings from Mirza Baig.

AJK batted first, scoring 137/6, bolstered by a solid opening partnership of 65 runs from Hasan Raza (39) and Hasnain Nadeem (43).

Usama Mir and Hasan Ali each claimed three wickets, with Mir’s remarkable performance yielding just 13 runs in his four overs.

Sialkot successfully chased down the 138-run target, finishing with 33 balls to spare.

Baig led the innings with an outstanding unbeaten 76 off 44 balls, hitting seven fours and four sixes. He received support from Muhammad Hurraira (30) and Mohsin Riaz (25*).

Shoaib Malik was dismissed early for just two runs, with Saad Asif capturing the only wicket for AJK.

The quarter-finals of the National T20 Cup will be played at Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad on 23 and 24 March.

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Babar Azam, Naseem Shah misfire as Karachi Whites humble Lahore Blues

LAHORE: Pakistan’s top batter Babar Azam and ace pacer Naseem Shah failed to impress on their return to the National T20 Cup as Karachi Whites secured a comprehensive victory against Lahore Blues here at Gaddafi Stadium on Tuesday.

The duo was rested for Pakistan’s five-match T20I series against New Zealand after the national team’s disappointing performance in the recently concluded Champions Trophy.

Initially, there were reports that both players had opted out of the National T20 Cup. However, Naseem and Babar featured in the playing XI of Lahore Blues for their match against Karachi Whites.

Babar Azam and Naseem Shah both fell short of expectations, with Babar scoring a scratchy knock of 23 off 17 deliveries, while Naseem remained wicketless conceding 41 runs in his four overs.

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The home team was bundled out for 134 in 18.4 overs while chasing 172. This was Lahore’s first defeat in the 18-team tournament. Qasim Akram remained top scorer with his 36 off 28 deliveries, laced with four fours and one six.

For Karachi Whites, Arif Yaqoob was the stand-out bowler, taking four wickets for 23 runs in his four overs. Fast bowler Mohammad Umar and spinner Danish Aziz equally contributed to the victory, each claiming two wickets

Earlier, Karachi Blues posted a daunting total of 172 in their 20 overs, thanks to Saud Shakeel’s half-century.

The southpaw continued his good form, top-scoring with 73 off 52 balls striking eight fours and three sixes in his decisive knock.

In the final phase of the innings, Danish Aziz (23) and Saqib Khan (20) contributed with a quick-fire stand to help Karachi reach a formidable total.

For Lahore Blues, Qasim Akram, Mohammad Irfan, and Nisar Ahmed bagged one wicket each in their allocated overs.

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FATA ease past AJK to make a winning start in National T20 Cup

LAHORE: A strong batting and bowling performance led FATA to a four-wicket victory against Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) in the ninth match of the National T20 Cup at Gaddafi Stadium on Tuesday.

Batting first, AJK were bundled out for 149 runs on the last ball of the penultimate over.

Hasnain Nadeem remained the top scorer with a blazing half-century. Despite a strong opening partnership of 86 runs between Hasnain and skipper Hasan Raza, they ended up with a meager total.

Captain departed after scoring 33 off 30 deliveries, while Hasnain struck 29 balls 53, laced with four fours and as many sixes.

Following their dismissal, the batting line of AJK faltered and couldn’t capitalize on the opening start.

For FATA, Maaz Khan was the stand-out bowler, picking up four wickets for just 11 runs in his four overs. Azaz Khan took three while Shahid Aziz equally contributed with his two wickets.

In reply, FATA chased down the total for the loss of six wickets with 17 balls to spare.

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The openers Farooq and Mohammad Naeem laid the final nail in the coffin for AJK, forging a 76-run partnership.

Farqooq top-scored with his 34 balls 51, featuring six fours and two sixes, while his partner Nadeem composed knock of 30 runs of 20 deliveries, including five fours and a six.

Shahid Aziz remained unbeaten on 19 runs to steer FATA to victory in their opening match of the National T20 Cup.

Saad Asif and Aqib Liaqat each took two wickets for AJK, while Nadeem Khalil and Zaman Khan each claimed one wicket.

FATA secured a four-wicket victory, placing them at the top of the Group D standings in the National T20 Cup with two points, while AJK fell to the bottom of the group.

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Asif Afridi out of National T20 Cup after suffering freak injury

LAHORE: FATA’s left-arm spinner Asif Afridi has been ruled out of the National T20 Cup after suffering a freak training incident here at Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday evening.

“Asif was struck below his right eye during a training accident. The left-arm spinner was practicing when a ball deflected off a pole and hit his eye,” the PCB said in a statement.

According to the statement, the skipper of the FATA region in the ongoing National T20 Cup was taken to hospital for scans. The scans revealed a fracture in his Zygomatic bone, ruling him out from the tournament.

The PCB medical department is closely monitoring his situation and progress while preparing his rehabilitation plan in consultation with concerned eye specialists.

The 38-year-old is also part of Pakistan Super League 10th edition. He was selected by Lahore Qalandars during the player draft held in Lahore on January 13.

For the unversed, the ongoing National T20 Cup is taking place in three cities of Pakistan: Faisalabad, Lahore, and Multan.

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The domestic cricket tournament features 18 teams from 16 regions. A total of 39 matches will be played throughout the tournament.

The Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad is set to host 23 matches, including the tournament’s knockout rounds. In Lahore, matches will take place at the Gaddafi Stadium and the LCCA Ground, while the Multan Cricket Stadium will accommodate eight games.

The board has announced a prize pot of PKR 9.4 million for the National T20 Cup. The winning team will get five million, while the runners-up will take PKR 2.5 million.

The 18 teams are divided into four groups: Karachi Region (Blues), Lahore Region (Whites), Larkana Region, Peshawar Region, and Quetta Region, all placed in Group A.

In Group B, defending champions Karachi Region (Whites) are placed alongside Bahawalpur Region, Dera Murad Jamali Region, Islamabad Region and Lahore Region (Blues).

In Group C, Abbottabad Region, Faisalabad Region, Hyderabad Region and Rawalpindi Region will go head-to-head, while Group D will see AJK Region, FATA Region, Multan Region and Sialkot Region play each other.

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Kamran, bowlers lead Abbottabad’s thumping win over Rawalpindi in National T20 Cup

MULTAN: Clinical Abbottabad defeated Rawalpindi by seven wickets in the fifth match of the National T20 Cup at the Multan Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

After being invited to bat, Rawalpindi team bundled out for a modest total of 104 in 18.3 overs.

All rounder Mubasir Khan was the top scorer with 24 off 20 deliveries, laced with three fours and one six.

At the beginning of the innings, Rawalpindi’s top order collapsed due to a clinical bowling performance by the Abbottabad bowlers, who dismantled their batting lineup.

They were restricted to 14-3 inside the power play. Fayyaz Khan and Arshad Iqbal took wickets in the opening overs.

A crucial partnership between Mubasir and wicketkeeper Taimur Khan helped Rawalpindi recover from a difficult position, but their dismissals soon led to the batting line crumbling. Taimur was dismissed after scoring 23 runs off 15 balls.

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For Abbottabad, Arshad Iqbal and Shahab Khan were the stand out bowlers, picking up three wickets each.

Abbottabad chased down the meagre total for the loss of just three wickets in 13.1 overs, courtesy of Kamran Ghulam’s unbeaten knock.

Ghulam top scored with 37 off 27 balls, featuring three fours and one six.

Abbottabad openers Shahzaib Khan (19) and Sajjad Ali Hashmi (16) both contributed significantly, while middle-order batter Mohammad Arif (18) also made important contributions.

For Rawalpindi, Kashif Ali, Mohammad Faizan and Saad Masood could pick up a wicket apiece.

Arshad Iqbal was declared man-of-the-match for his outstanding bowling performance.

The seven-wicket victory placed Abbottabad at the top of Group C standings with two points in National T20 Cup, while Rawalpindi fell to the bottom.

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