PESHAWAR: Abdullah Shafique’s scintillating 96 and Usama Mir’s four-wicket haul helped Sialkot beat Abbottabad by 31 runs in the eighth round of the National T20 Cup at the Imran Khan Cricket Stadium on Saturday.

In the second match, Saad Baig’s unbeaten 72, complemented by four wickets each from Shahnawaz Dahani and Jahandad Khan, guided Karachi Blues to a 57-run consolation win over Lahore Blues, with both sides already out of semi-final contention.

After opting to bat, Sialkot posted 202-6 in their allotted 20 overs before dismissing Abbottabad for 171.

Sialkot were reduced to 25-2 early, but player-of-the-match Abdullah and Hasan Nawaz (57 off 34 balls, six fours and three sixes) revived the innings with a decisive 145-run partnership that carried the total to 170 in 15.1 overs.

Following Hasan’s dismissal in the 16th over, Sialkot lost three wickets for 21 runs. Abdullah eventually fell in the 19th over, four runs short of his second T20 century. His 54-ball knock featured four fours and seven sixes.

Mohsin Riaz chipped in with an unbeaten 16 off nine balls, including a four and a six, to push Sialkot past the 200-run mark.

For Abbottabad, Shahab Khan returned impressive figures of 5-25 in four overs to claim his third five-wicket haul in 20 T20 matches. He also joined Hasan Ali, Mohammad Nawaz, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, Faheem Ashraf and Shaheen Shah Afridi on the list of Pakistani bowlers with the most five-wicket hauls in T20 cricket.

In reply, Abbottabad slipped to 87-5 despite Sajjad Ali Hashmi’s 40 off 37 balls (four fours, one six). Razaullah struck a brisk 25 off 12 balls, while Atizaz Habib Khan made 28 off 19 balls with one four and three sixes, but the side ultimately fell 31 runs short.

Usama Mir removed Sajjad, Shadab Khan (19 off 13, two fours), Mohsin Khan (17 off 11, two sixes) and Khushdil Shah (10 off 10) to finish with 4-42. Mohammad Ali, Ahsan Hafeez Bhatti and Shoaib Akhtar Jnr picked up two wickets apiece.

In the night fixture, Karachi Blues posted 206-3 before bowling Lahore Blues out for 149 in 17.3 overs.

Ahsan Ali (39 off 29, five fours, one six) and Shah Raza Naqvi (30 off 16, two fours, three sixes) provided a brisk start with a 51-run stand inside five overs.

After Raza’s dismissal in the sixth over, Usman Khan (21 off 16, three fours, one six) joined Ahsan for a 36-run partnership. Usman departed in the 10th over with the score at 87-2, while Ahsan fell in the 13th over with Karachi Blues at 117-3.

Saad Baig then anchored the latter half of the innings with a fluent unbeaten 72 off 37 balls, striking seven fours and four sixes. Mohammad Usman Rahim supported him with an unbeaten 33 off 23 balls (four fours) as the pair added an unbroken 89-run stand to guide their side to the second-highest total of the tournament.

For Lahore Blues, Mohammad Rizwan took 2-23 while Ali Razzaq claimed one wicket.

Chasing 207, Lahore Blues were undone by the pace duo of Shahnawaz Dahani (4-24) and Jahandad Khan (4-25), who claimed four wickets each.

Skipper Saad Nasim top-scored with 47 off 33 balls, including four fours and two sixes, after arriving at the crease with his side struggling at 56-5 in 6.5 overs.

Ali Hassan Baloch contributed 30 off 24 balls with three fours, while Hamza Zahoor struck 27 off 12 balls (two fours, three sixes), but Lahore Blues were unable to mount a successful chase.

Left-arm spinner Mehran Mumtaz also chipped in with two for 28 in four overs.

Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2026