Abbottabad thrash Karachi Whites to lift maiden T20 title

LAHORE, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Jun, 2026) Abbottabad produced a dominant all-round performance, led by a disciplined bowling display and an unbeaten half-century from opening batter Shahzaib Khan, to defeat Karachi Whites by nine wickets in the final of the ABS Developers National T20 Cup 2025-26 at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, on Sunday night.

Shadab Khan-led Abbottabad chased the 119-run target with 37 balls to spare as Shahzaib (54 not out, 41b, 3x4s, 4x6s) and Kamran Ghulam (45 not out, 26b, 3x4s, 3x6s) put on an unbeaten 58-run stand. Shahzaib had earlier given his team a blistering start putting on 62 runs for the opening wicket with Afaq Khan (13, 17b, 1x4).

Kamran finished the tournament as the leading run-scorer with 246 runs to his name in six games, while Shahzaib finished third on the ladder with 209 runs in as many matches.

Rizwanullah was the lone wicket-taker for Karachi Whites as he got Afaq caught behind in the eighth over.

Earlier, Abbottabad pacers unleashed havoc on the Karachi Whites batters as they reduced them to 83-7 in 12.3 overs with Arshad Iqbal spearheading the attack. Arshad removed opener Abdullah Fazal to draw first blood and induced a double strike in 11th over dismissing Shan Masood and Khawaja Mohammad Nafay.

Karachi Whites’ skipper Saud Shakeel couldn’t convert his start as he fell for an 18-ball 17 comprising of two fours becoming Shahab Khan’s first of the two scalps in the game. Mohammad Wasim Jnr struck to remove Karachi’s no.

<?php /*?> <?php */?>

3 Haroon Arshad, curtailing his innings to 13 off 10 with the help of three fours.

Razaullah sent back Saifullah Bangash in seventh over with Karachi Whites reeling at 49-4. It was at this moment when Shan (16, 12b, 2x4s) tried rebuilding the innings with a 27-run stand with Khawaja Nafay but Arshad got rid of both.

With Karachi Whites languishing at 83-7 in 12.3 overs, no.9 batter Saqib Khan top-scored for his team with a run-a-ball 22 hitting two fours. Abrar Ahmed also hit a six in his six-ball seven as Whites posted 118 all out in 18.3 overs.

Arshad returned figures of 4-0-28-3, while skipper Shadab, Shahab Khan and Razaullah picked up two wickets each. Shahab finished with 15 scalps in the tournament, just one behind Sialkot’s Usama Mir.

Final – Abbottabad Region beat Karachi Region Whites by nine wickets at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

Karachi Whites 118 all out, 18.3 overs (Saqib Khan 22, Saud Shakeel 17; Arshad Iqbal 3-28, Shadab Khan 2-17, Shahab Khan 2-18, Razaullah 2-26)

Abbottabad 120-1, 13.5 overs (Shahzaib Khan 54 not out, Kamran Ghulam 45 not out)

Player of the final – Arshad Iqbal (Abbottabad Region)

Best wicketkeeper-batter of the tournament – Usman Khan (184 runs and 6 dismissals - Karachi Blues)

Best bowler and player of the tournament – Usama Mir (16 wickets – Sialkot Region)

Best batter of the tournament – Kamran Ghulam (268 runs – Abbottabad Region).