Lahore, 18 March 2025: Faisalabad Region, Hyderabad Region, Islamabad Region, Karachi Region Whites, Multan Region and Sialkot Region won their matches on day five of the Bank Alfalah presents Inverex Solar Energy National T20 Cup 2024-25 as three double headers took place across Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad, LCCA Ground and Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
Group B – Lahore
Karachi Region Whites v Lahore Region Blues
At the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Karachi Whites beat Lahore Blues by 37 runs courtesy Saud Shakeel’s 73 and Arif Yaqoob’s four-wicket haul. Saud’s second half-century (73, 52b, 8x4s, 3x6s) helped Karachi Whites post 171-5 in 20 overs.
In turn, Lahore Blues lost wickets at regular intervals after opening batters Umar Siddiq (24, 14b, 4x4s, 1x6) and Babar Azam (22, 17b, 3x4s) provided a 37-run stand. Qasim Akram top-scored with 28-ball 36 inclusive of four fours and one six after walking in to bat at 42-3.
For Karachi Whites, spin duo of leg spinner Arif (4-23) and left-arm spinner Danish Aziz (2-28) struck blow after blow as Lahore Blues slipped to 101-6 and then 134 all out in 18.5 overs.
Islamabad Region v Dera Murad Jamali Region
In the second Group B fixture of the day, Dera Murad Jamali Region suffered a 68-run loss against Islamabad Region, who had successfully defended their total of 184-7. Skipper Rohail Nazir (58, 43b, 4x4s, 2x6s) and opening batter Naseerullah Khan (41, 32b, 7x4s) did much of the scoring for Islamabad.
Dera Murad Jamali could only manage 116-6 in their 20 overs after they slipped to 58-6 earlier. Player of the match Arsal Sheikh returned figures of 4-0-14-3.
Group C – Faisalabad
Rawalpindi Region v Faisalabad Region
Faisalabad registered their second consecutive triumph as they beat Rawalpindi by 24 runs, while defending 207-run total. Faisalabad’s charge with the bat was led by no.3 batter Muhammad Awais Zafar, who struck six sixes and as many fours in his unbeaten 87 off 55 balls.
Awais also partnered with Raees Ahmed (53, 39b, 6x4s) for a valuable 103-run partnership for the third wicket.
In reply, Rawalpindi lost their openers for 11 runs before Mubasir Khan’s 24-ball 44 with the help of four fours and three sixes took them to 79-3. They further slipped to 115-6, when Mehran Mumtaz walked out all guns blazing as he hit the joint fastest half-century (51, 24b, 7x4s, 2x6s) in the ongoing tournament but in vain. For Faisalabad, Momin Qamar dismissed three batters.
Abbottabad Region v Hyderabad Region
Hyderabad made light work of Abbottabad’s 127-run total as they chased it in 14.5 overs with seven wickets in hand. Abbottabad lost all their ten wickets for 79 runs after opening batters Shahzaib Khan (31, 20b, 3x4s, 2x6s) and Sajjad Ali Hashmi (29, 32b, 4x4s) stitched a 48-run stand.
For Hyderabad Kashif Bhatti (3-16), Majid Asghar (3-25) and Jawad Ali (3-29) shared nine wickets among them. In pursuit of the target, Saad Khan (43, 26b, 3x4s, 3x6s), Ubaidullah (36, 23b, 6x4s, 1x6) and Muhammad Azeem Ghumman (34 not out, 34b, 3x4s) were key contributors for Hyderabad.
Group D – Lahore
Multan Region v Azad Jammu and Kashmir Region
At the LCCA Ground in Lahore, Multan overcame AJK as they chased the 165-run target with five wickets in the bag and ten balls to spare.
Skipper Imam-ul-Haq’s unbeaten half-century (79 not out, 46b, 10x4s, 2x6s) and player of the match Sharoon Siraj’s all-round performance (39, 26b, 5x4s & 3-10) handed Multan their first win of the tournament.
Earlier, AJK’s Usman Maroof top-scored with a 22-ball 40 laden with two fours and four sixes to help his team post 164-8 in 20 overs. Apart from Sharoon Multan’s pacer Mohammad Ismail also picked up three wickets.
Sialkot Region v FATA Region
Sialkot bundled out FATA for a mere 107 in 18.1 overs with Hasan Ali (3-16), player of the match Usama Mir (3-19) and Ahsan Hafeez Bhatti (2-18) returning combined figures of 8-53 in 12 overs.
Sialkot reached the target in 14.1 overs for the loss of three wickets. Opening batters Mirza Tahir Baig (37, 20b, 5x4s, 2x6s) and Mohammad Huraira (37 not out 31b, 5x4s) were the key contributors for Sialkot.
Scores in brief:
Match 13 – Karachi Region Whites beat Lahore Region Blues by 37 runs at Gaddafi Stadium Lahore
Karachi Whites 171-5, 20 overs (Saud Shakeel 73, Danish Aziz 23 not out, Mohammad Taha 23, Saqib Khan 20 not out, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay 20; Muhammad Irfan 1-23)
Lahore Blues 134 all out, 18.5 overs (Qasim Akram 36, Umar Siddiq 24, Babar Azam 22, Nisar Ahmed 21; Arif Yaqoob 4-23, Muhammad Umar 2-20, Danish Aziz 2-28)
Player of the match – Saud Shakeel (Karachi Region Whites)
Match 14 – Multan Region beat Azad Jammu and Kashmir Region by five wickets at LCCA Ground Lahore
AJK 164-8, 20 overs (Usman Maroof 40, Hasnain Nadeem 35, Aqib Liaqat 24; Sharoon Siraj 3-10, Mohammed Ismail 3-23)
Multan 168-5, 18.2 overs (Imam-ul-Haq 79 not out, Sharoon Siraj 39, Zeeshan Ashraf 22, Naveed Malik 2-28)
Player of the match – Sharoon Siraj (Multan Region)
Match 15 –Faisalabad Region beat Rawalpindi Region by 24 runs at Iqbal Stadium Faisalabad
Faisalabd 207-3, 20 overs (Muhammad Awais Zafar 87 not out, Raees Ahmed 53, Taimoor Sultan 29; Saad Masood 1-32)
Rawalpindi 183 all out, 19.2 overs (Mehran Mumtaz 51, Mubasir Khan 44, Atif Khan 32; Momin Qamar 3-25, Mohammad Faizan 2-40, Shehzad Gul 2-50)
Player of the match - Muhammad Awais Zafar (Faisalabad Region)
Match 16 – Islamabad Region beat Dera Murad Jamali Region by 68 runs at Gaddafi Stadium Lahore
Islamabad 184-7, 20 overs (Rohail Nazir 58, Naseerullah Khan 41, Shamyl Hussain 22, Hammad Siddique 22; Tariq Jameel 4-32)
Dera Murad Jamali 116-6, 20 overs (Mohammad Shahid 32 not out, Shoaib Ahmed 30 not out; Arsal Sheikh 3-14, Farmanullah Khan 2-13)
Player of the match – Arsal Sheikh (Islamabad Region)
Match 17 – Sialkot Region beat FATA Region by seven wickets at LCCA Ground Lahore
FATA 107 all out, 18.1 overs (Mohammad Naeem 39; Hasan Ali 3-16, Usama Mir 3-19, Ahsan Hafeez Bhatti 2-18)
Sialkot 110-3, 14.2 overs (Mohammad Huraira 37 not out, Mirza Tahir Baig 37)
Player of the match – Usama Mir (Sialkot Region)
Match 18 – Hyderabad Region beat Abbottabad Region by seven wickets at Iqbal Stadium Faisalabad
Abbottabad 127 all out, 19.3 overs (Shahzaib Khan 31, Sajjad Ali Hashmi 29, Khalid Usman 20 not out; Kashif Bhatti 3-16, Majid Asghar 3-25, Jawad Ali 3-29)
Hyderabad 131-3, 14.5 overs (Saad Khan 43, Ubaidullah 36, Muhammad Azeem Ghumman 34 not out; Atizaz Habib Khan 2-30)
Wednesday’s fixtures:
Islamabad Region v Bahawalpur Region at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore; 4.30pm
Quetta Region v Larkana Region at Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan; 4.30pm
Abbottabad Region v Faisalabad Region at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad; 7pm
Lahore Region Blues v Dera Murad Jamali Region at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore; 9pm
Peshawar Region v Karachi Region Blues at Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan; 9pm
Rawalpindi Region v Hyderabad Region at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad; 11pm
