Abbottabad Region crowned themselves champions of the National T20 Cup 2026 after registering a commanding nine-wicket victory over Karachi Whites in the tournament final at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.
The final was initially scheduled to take place at the Imran Khan Cricket Stadium in Peshawar, but persistent rainfall and an unplayable outfield forced organizers to postpone and later relocate the match to Lahore.
Chasing a target of 119 runs, Abbottabad displayed complete control throughout the innings and comfortably achieved the target in just 13.5 overs. The star of the chase was opener Shahzaib Khan, who delivered a match-winning unbeaten half-century. He scored 54 runs from 41 balls, striking three boundaries and four sixes to guide his side to victory.
Abbottabad lost only one wicket during the run chase when Afaq Khan was dismissed for 13 runs. Kamran Ghulam then partnered Shahzaib brilliantly and remained unbeaten on 45 runs off 26 deliveries, hitting three fours and three sixes to complete the successful chase.
Earlier, Abbottabad’s bowling attack produced an outstanding performance, restricting Karachi Whites to just 118 runs in 18.3 overs. Karachi’s batting lineup struggled to build momentum as wickets fell regularly throughout the innings.
Lower-order batter Saqib Khan emerged as Karachi’s highest scorer with 22 runs, while captain Saud Shakeel contributed 17. The rest of the batting order failed to establish meaningful partnerships, allowing Abbottabad’s bowlers to dominate proceedings.
Among the bowlers, Arshad Iqbal, Shahab Khan, Razaullah, and captain Shadab Khan played crucial roles in dismantling Karachi’s batting lineup. Their disciplined effort laid the foundation for a comfortable victory and ultimately secured the championship.
With this comprehensive win, Abbottabad Region lifted the National T20 Cup 2026 trophy, capping off an impressive campaign and confirming their status as the tournament’s best-performing team.
