LAHORE: Abbottabad outclassed Karachi Whites by nine wickets in the National T20 Cup final at the Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday, with a disciplined bowling display setting up a comfortable chase in the low-scoring title clash.
After bundling out Karachi Whites for 118 in 18.3 overs, Abbottabad raced to the target in just 13.5 overs, thanks to unbeaten knocks from Shahzaib Khan and Kamran Ghulam.
Shahzaib struck 54 not out off 41 balls, hitting four sixes and three fours, while Kamran smashed an unbeaten 45 off 26 deliveries, featuring three sixes and as many boundaries.
The pair stitched together an unbroken 58-run stand for the second wicket after Shahzaib had earlier added 62 for the opening wicket with Afaq Khan, who made 13.
Kamran finished as the tournament’s leading run-scorer with 268 runs in six matches, while Shahzaib ended third on the batting charts with 209 runs from as many games.
Rizwanullah was the lone wicket-taker for Karachi Whites, removing Afaq, who was caught behind in the eighth over.
Earlier, Abbottabad’s pacers dismantled the Karachi Whites batting line-up, reducing them to 83-7 in 12.3 overs, with Arshad Iqbal leading the charge.
Arshad struck early by dismissing opener Abdullah Fazal before claiming the wickets of Shan Masood and Khawaja Mohammad Nafay in the 11th over.
Captain Saud Shakeel failed to capitalise on his start, scoring 17 off 18 balls with two fours before falling to Shadab Khan, who claimed two wickets. Mohammad Wasim Jr also chipped in by dismissing Haroon Arshad for 13 off 10 balls.
Razaullah accounted for Saifullah Bangash in the seventh over as Karachi Whites slipped to 49-4.
Shan attempted to rebuild the innings with a 27-run partnership alongside Nafay, but Arshad’s double strike further dented Karachi Whites’ hopes.
With the innings in disarray, Saqib Khan offered some resistance with a top score of 22 off 22 balls, including two fours, while Abrar Ahmed made seven off six deliveries, striking a six.
Karachi Whites were eventually bowled out for 118, with Arshad returning figures of 3-28 from four overs. Shadab, Shahab Khan and Razaullah picked up two wickets each.
Shahab finished the tournament with 15 wickets, one short of Sialkot’s Usama Mir, who topped the bowling charts.
Published in Dawn, June 9th, 2026