Lahore Blues emerged victorious in the National T20 Cup under the leadership of Hussain Talat, defeating Peshawar by 9 wickets in the final played at Iqbal Stadium on Thursday. The highlight of the match was a brilliant bowling performance by Lahore Blues’ left-arm fast bowler Mohammad Salman Mirza, who claimed 4 wickets for just 21 runs, completely dismantling Peshawar’s batting lineup.
Peshawar, who won the toss and opted to bat first, struggled to post a competitive total, finishing with 110 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in their 20 overs. Sahibzada Farhan, the top scorer for Peshawar in the tournament with three centuries, was dismissed for just 17 runs, with a boundary and a six to his name. Captain Iftikhar Ahmed top-scored for Peshawar with 34 runs, including two fours, while wicketkeeper Zulkifal contributed 32 runs to the total.
Mohammad Salman Mirza’s exceptional bowling performance was the game-changer, as he took 4 wickets for 21 runs in his 4 overs, while Mohammad Irfan supported well by claiming two wickets.
In reply, Lahore Blues chased down the modest target of 111 runs in just 16 overs, losing only the wicket of Imran Butt. Amr Siddique played a stellar innings, remaining unbeaten on 64 runs, which included 6 fours and 2 sixes. Junaid Ali supported him with an undefeated 30 runs.
Mohammad Salman Mirza was named Player of the Match for his match-winning performance. Sahibzada Farhan, who scored an impressive 605 runs in the tournament at an average of 121, was declared the Best Batsman and Player of the Tournament. Hasan Ali of Sialkot was recognized as the Best Bowler of the Tournament with 13 wickets, while Mohammad Akhlaq of Lahore Whites was awarded Best Wicketkeeper for his 114 runs, 4 catches, and 2 stumpings during the tournament.
Lahore Blues’ commanding victory marked an exceptional end to the National T20 Cup, with players delivering standout performances throughout the competition.
