Peshawar (Mohammad Ali Salazar):
Karachi Region Whites and Abbottabad Region advanced to the final of ABS Developers National T20 Cup 2026 after contrasting semi-final outcomes at the Imran Khan Cricket Stadium in Peshawar on Tuesday night.
Abdullah Fazal’s scintillating 88 off 41 balls powered Karachi Whites to a five-wicket win in a 166-run chase over Sialkot Region with 29 balls to spare in the first semi-final.
In the second semi-final, Imran Dogar’s blistering 31-ball 62 helped Lahore Region Whites post 194 for six. However, persistent rain forced the match to be abandoned, sending Abbottabad through to the final as they finished higher than Lahore Whites at the end of Group stage.
Karachi Region Whites and Abbottabad Region will face off in the final on Wednesday 18 March at 7.30pm, with 19 March set aside as the reserve day.
Chasing 166, Karachi Whites made an emphatic start as Abdullah and skipper Saud Shakeel raced to 92 in seven overs. Saud set the tone with a 21-ball 45, hitting five fours and three sixes, before he was dismissed off the first ball of the eighth over. He ransacked 26 runs off the third over clubbing Shoaib Akhtar Jnr for three sixes and two fours.
Shan Masood fell for one soon after, but Abdullah kept up the charge and all but sealed the contest in Karachi’s favor. Dominating the Sialkot bowling with six fours and seven sixes, Abdullah hammered a match-winning 88 before falling in the 14th over with victory well within sight.
Haroon Arshad, unbeaten on 15 off nine balls with two fours, and Danish Aziz (7 not out, 6b, 1x4) completed the chase in 15.1 overs as Karachi Whites romped home by five wickets.
Sialkot’s skipper Usama Mir accounted for the scalps of Shan, Saud and Khawaja Mohammad Nafay but in vain. He ended up with 16 wickets in five matches.
Batting first, Sialkot got off to a brisk start through Khawaja Arham and Mohsin Riaz, who took the score to 31 without loss in three overs. Mohsin (15, 10b, 2x6s) and Abdullah Shafique (8, 6b, 1x6) departed in quick succession with 44 runs on the board.
Arham kept the innings together with Hasan Nawaz, adding 42 runs for the third wicket before departing in the 12th over after a 33-ball 40, laced with two fours and three sixes.
At the other end, Hasan continued to anchor the innings despite regular wickets. His resistance ended in the 16th over when Mohammad Asghar dismissed him for a 33-ball 43, studded with two fours and two sixes, with Sialkot then 118 for six.
A late push came from wicketkeeper-batter Ali Afzal and skipper Usama Mir, who stitched together a 37-run stand off 21 balls. Usama made 19 off 14 balls with three fours, while Ali struck 26 off 13 deliveries, smashing one four and three sixes as Sialkot stumbled t0165 for nine in their 20 overs.
For Karachi Whites, Mohammad Umar was the pick of the bowlers with three for 29 in four overs, whileAsghar claimed two wickets for 23 runs, including the key scalps of of Arham and Hasan.
In the rain-hit second semi-final, Lahore Whites piled up 194 for six in their 20 overs, powered by a fiery knock from no.3 batter Imran, who struck 62 off 31 balls with three fours and five sixes.
After Mohammad Faiq’s 18 off 11 balls, featuring two fours and a six, ended in the fifth over with 38 runs on the board, Mohammad Akhlaq joined Imran at the crease. The pair added 64 for the second wicket, taking Lahore Whites to 102 in 11.1 overs.
Imran’s aggressive stroke play kept Lahore Whites on the front foot, while Akhlaq played the supporting role with a composed 42 off 35 deliveries, hitting six fours.
Lahore Whites received a timely lift at the back end of the innings through Farhan Yousuf and Mohammad Mohsin, who added valuable late runs. Mohsin made 24 off 16 balls, striking one four and two sixes, while Farhan remained unbeaten on 33 off 19 deliveries, cracking six fours, as Lahore Whites finished with a commanding total.
For Abbottabad, left-arm pacer Shahab Khan was the standout bowler, returning four for 28 in his four overs.
Abbottabad’s reply, however, never got underway as persistent rain forced the match to be abandoned. Having topped Group B, Abbottabad advanced to the final ahead of Lahore Whites, who had finished second in Group A.
Scores in brief:
Semi-final 1: Karachi Region Whites beat Sialkot Region by five wickets at Imran Khan Cricket Stadium, Peshawar
Sialkot 165-9, 20 overs (Hasan Nawaz 43, Khawaja Arham 40, Ali Afzal 26; Mohammad Umar 3-29, Mohammad Asghar 2-23)
Karachi Whites 167-5, 15.1 overs (Abdullah Fazal 88, Saud Shakeel 45; Usama Mir 3-46)
Player of the match: Abdullah Fazal (Karachi Whites)
Semi-final 2: Lahore Region Whites v Abbottabad Region abandoned due to rain at Imran Khan Cricket Stadium, Peshawar
Lahore Whites 194-6, 20 overs (Imran Dogar 62, Muhammad Akhlaq 42, Farhan Yousaf 33 not out, Mohammad Mohsin 24; Shahab Khan 4-28)
Final: 18 March, 2026
Karachi Whites v Abbottabad at 7.30pm PKT
