Karachi Whites clinched victory in the National T20 Cup Final 2023-24, triumphing over the Abbottabad region by a close nine-run margin in the final showdown at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi on Sunday.
The bowlers did a stellar job defending their target. Shahnawaz Dahani especially shone, grabbing three wickets for just 16 runs in his four-over spell.
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Despite Atizaz Habib Khan’s unbeaten 43 off 26 balls and Fayyaz Khan’s quick 23 off 9 towards the end, Abbottabad fell short, finishing at 146/9.
Dahani wasn’t alone in his brilliance. Anwar Ali, Danish Aziz, and Aftab Ibrahim also contributed, securing two wickets each.
Initially, Asad Shafiq’s Karachi team chose to bat and set a target of 155/9. Khurram Manzoor’s swift 53 off 36 balls set the tempo, well-supported by Omair Yousuf’s 36 off 30 balls, along with Azam Khan’s 14 off 8 and Danish Aziz’s 22 off 12, boosting Sindh’s score.
Abbottabad’s bowlers, guided by Shahab Khan and Adil Naz, applied pressure consistently.
Shahab got four dismissals while Adil claimed two crucial wickets. Fayyaz Khan also snatched two wickets.
Abbottabad faced setbacks in the chase, losing key batters like Sajjad Ali (1), Fakhar Zaman (19), and Kamran Ghulam (12) early on. Their middle order couldn’t hold ground for long, falling short despite their efforts.
The opposition’s bowling, led by Dahani, maintained the heat, taking vital wickets at crucial intervals while defending.
Karachi Whites, previously runners-up six times in the National T20 Cup Final, finally clinched victory on their seventh attempt, securing their first domestic T20 tournament win.
