Karachi to take on Bahawalpur in National T20 Cup Qualifier final

2026-02-24 - 12:23

Karachi Region Blues will lock horns with Bahawalpur in the final of the National T20 Cup Qualifier at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Tuesday (today). The 38-run win over FATA lifted Bahawalpur to the top of Pool B with six points from four matches. It confirmed their qualification for the National T20 Cup 2026, along with Pool A toppers Karachi Region Blues. The two teams will now lock horns in the tournament final on Tuesday evening. Hyderabad had an outside chance of qualifying as well had they hammered Rawalpindi with a net run rate boosting triumph to pip Bahawalpur, but instead they copped a six-wicket loss. In Pool B, Rawalpindi, FATA and Hyderabad finished with four points each. In a must-win fixture of both teams, Bahawalpur’s left-arm spinner Mohammad Junaid ran through FATA’s batting line-up with a superb haul of five for 16 in four overs as they successfully defended the 135-run total. His match-winning spell also included a wicket-maiden as FATA were bowled out for 97 in 17 overs. Winning the toss and opting to bat, Bahawalpur slipped to 33-3, which included Mohammad Sudais’s 13-ball 16, comprising a six and a four. Ali Hamza Wasim (27) and Faizan Zafar (26) then added vital 49 runs. Skipper Muhammad Imran contributed a run-a-ball 11, hitting a solitary four. Player of the match Junaid also struck a brisk 25 off 16 balls, hitting three fours and one six after walking in to bat at 99-6. In the second game of the day, Hyderabad posted 158-9 in 20 overs after being asked to bat first. Daniyal Hussain Rajput top-scored with a quick-fire 14-ball 31, laced with two fours and three sixes after arriving at the crease with 65-4 on the board. Daniyal was aided by contributions from wicketkeeper-batter Akbar Khan (29) as the duo shared a 35-run partnership for the fifth wicket, taking their side’s total into three digits. Earlier, Zain-ul-Abidin (25, Mohammad Suleman (19) and Rizwan Mehmood (16) kept the scorecard ticking for Hyderabad. Rawalpindi’s Kashif Ali returned figures of 4-0-27-3, while Jahandad Khan (4-0-21-2) and Mehran Mumtaz (4-0-32-2) shared four wickets. In reply, Rawalpindi raced to the target in 16.5 overs with six wickets in hand, led by opening batter Yasir Khan’s unbeaten 74 off 49 balls, laced with three fours and six sixes. Former Cricket umpire Rab Nawaz passes away in Lahore