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Karachi, 11 December 2023: Karachi Whites created history at National Bank Stadium as they defeated Abbottabad by nine runs in the AH Group Presents Jazz Super 4G National T20 Cup final to clinch their first-ever title win. The last time Karachi Whites reached the National T20 Cup final was back in the 2016-17 season, when they lost to Karachi Blues at Multan Cricket Stadium.
Yasir Shah won the toss for Abbottabad and invited Karachi Whites to bat first. Right-arm seamer Adil Naz struck early to dismiss Ammad Alam for just five runs in the third over. A 71-run partnership between Khurram Manzoor and Omair Bin Yousuf brought stability to the innings.
Left-arm quick Shahab Khan then broke the partnership by dismissing Khurram, who scored a valuable half-century (53, 46b, 9x4s, 1×6). Omair (36, 30b, 9x4s, 1×6) later fell to left-arm pacer Fayyaz Khan.
Danish Aziz chipped in with 22 from 12, including two fours and a six, before the left-hander was removed by Shahab. Danish’s dismissal saw Shahab complete four wickets in the match, following his five-wicket haul in the semi-final. His fellow quicks, Adil and Fayyaz, ended with two scalps each.
Karachi Whites finished with 155-9 in the stipulated 20 overs.
Right-arm pacer Shahnawaz Dahani got rid of Sajjad Ali Jnr in his first over as Abbottabad set out to chase 156. The Yasir Shah-led side thus struggled to settle on the crease from the start as the opposition bowlers kept mounting pressure by delivering the ball on the right lengths.
Successive wickets fell, bringing Abbottabad to 57-3 at the halfway mark. Atizaz Habib Khan, who came to the crease after the fifth wicket fell, played a fighting knock to keep his team alive in the game. He hit an unbeaten 43 from 26, including six fours and a maximum.
Shahnawaz took back-to-back wickets in the 18th over to further push Abbottabad into a corner, countering the batting onslaught unleased by Atizaz from the other end. For his economic spell, he was adjudged player of the match as well.
Atizaz was supported by Fayyaz (23, 9b, 3x6s), who smashed three sixes after coming to bat in the 18th over to bring his team close to the target. However, he was caught in the last over and his team fell 10 runs short of the target, ending at 146-9 in 20 overs.
Shahab Khan ended as the tournament’s highest wicket taker. He took 25 wickets in 10 games at 11.64, including two five-fers and as many four-fers and was named best bowler of the tournament.
Best batter of the tournament award was given to Peshawar’s Sahibzada Farhan for 492 runs in 12 games, including a century and four half-centuries.
Abbottabad’s Sajjad Ali Jnr, with 442 runs and 10 dismissals in 12 matches, was the most successful wicketkeeper in the tournament.
For his all-round performance in the tournament, Iftikhar Ahmed was declared player of the tournament. In 12 games, he had 395 runs at a strike-rate of 163.90, including four half-centuries, and 18 wickets at 15.05.
Karachi Whites came into the National T20 Cup having won the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and finished second in the Pakistan Cup. They defeated Faisalabad in the final of the premier first-class competition at Gaddafi Stadium and lost the Pakistan Cup final to Peshawar at Pindi Cricket Stadium.
Scores in brief:
Karachi Whites beat Abbottabad by nine runs
Karachi Whites 155-9, 20 overs (Khurram Manzoor 53, Omair Bin Yousuf 36, Danish Aziz 22; Shahab Khan 4-28, Adil Naz 2-23, Fayyaz Khan 2-34)
Abbottabad 146-9, 20 overs (Atizaz Habib Khan 43 not out, Fayyaz Khan 23, Fakhar Zaman 19, Ahmed Khan 19; Shahnawaz Dahani 3-16, Danish Aziz 2-18, Anwar Ali 2-26, Aftab Ibrahim 2-30)
Player of the final – Shahnawaz Dahani (Karachi Whites)
Player of the tournament – Iftikhar Ahmed (Peshawar); 395 runs and 18 wickets
Best batter of the National T20 Cup – Sahibzada Farhan (Peshawar); 492 runs
Best bowler of the National T20 Cup – Shahab Khan (Abbottabad); 25 wickets
Best wicket-keeper of the National T20 Cup – Sajjad Ali Jnr (Abbottabad); 442 runs and 10 dismissals