- In second Pool A match of the seventh round, Quetta bagged their second win of the tournament, drawing level with Islamabad on points
- Matches highlights are available here; Tournament scorecards and stats are available here; Action images are available here
Lahore, 20 February 2026: Karachi Region Blues and Quetta Region registered victories against Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Region and Dera Murad Jamali Region, respectively, in Match 13 and 14 of ABS Developers present University of Lahore National T20 Cup Qualifier on Friday night here at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
After being asked to bat, AJK got off to a healthy start with 42 runs on the board after 4.1 overs. However, player of the match Wahaj Riaz (4-1-20-3) removed Hasan Raza for a 13-ball 22 comprising four fours and Aamer Nazir for a golden duck on back-to-back deliveries to leave AJK 42-2.
Top-scorer Hasnain Nadeem (59, 52b, 6x4s, 1x6) and Umar Hayat added 33 runs for the third wicket before Wahaj removed the latter as he struggled at the crease with a 15-ball 10, leaving the score at 75-3 in 10.4 overs.
Hasnain then found support in Arsalan Mehzood (28, 21b, 2x4s, 1x6) as the pair stitched a 48-run stand for the fourth wicket, taking the total past 120.
AJK’s no.6 to no.9 collectively chipped in with 26 runs off 19 balls, including two fours and a six, to take the total to 152-7 in 20 overs. Left-arm spinner Rehman Ghani picked up three wickets for 24 runs in four overs.
In reply, Karachi Blues were reduced to 34-2 inside the powerplay, losing both openers with 4.5 overs bowled and in a space of 11 balls. AJK pacer Faizan Saleem struck first when he bowled Jahanzaib Sultan (8, 7b, 2x4s) off the last ball of the third over, before removing Ahsan Ali (18, 18b, 2x4s, 1x6) in the fifth.
No.3 batter Mohammad Taha (24, 19b, 3x4s) and top-scorer Muhammad Ghazi Ghori then put on 38 for the third wicket before the former was dismissed, with 72 runs on the board in 9.4 overs.
Ghazi then shared a 58-run stand with Mohammad Usman Rahim (33, 19b, 3x4s, 2x6s) before Jawad Imtiaz (4-0-31-1) struck in the 16th over to dismiss the latter. Skipper Ghazi departed in the 19th over after a 37-ball 50 featuring seven fours. Wahaj’s unbeaten late cameo of 11-ball 15 inclusive of a solitary four guided Karachi Blues to victory by five wickets with seven balls to spare.
For AJK, Faizan returned figures of 3.5-0-21-3.
Karachi’s win put them on the cusp of National T20 Cup qualification as they remain unbeaten with six points in three games.
In the second game of the night, a collective batting effort lifted Quetta Region to 186-6 in their 20 overs and restricted Dera Murad Jamali to 124-6 in as many overs.
After losing their first wicket in the opening over, Quetta’s opening batter Yasir Khan (45, 38b, 4x4s, 2x6s) and top-scorer Bismillah Khan (51, 32b, 8x4s, 1x6) knitted a 103-run partnership for the second wicket, taking their side to 105-1 after 11.3 overs.
Quetta then lost three quick wickets within nine deliveries, slipping to 109-4 in 13 overs. No.6 batter Salahuddin (24, 11b, 3x4s, 1x6) and No.7 Mohammad Ibrahim Snr (27 not out, 10b, 2x4s, 2x6s) provided some late fireworks.
For Larkana, Mushtaq Ahmed bagged two for 39 in his four overs.
Chasing a steep total, Larkana were reduced to 18-3 after 3.4 overs, courtesy pacer Khalil Ahmed who dismissed opening batter Malhar Rasool for a golden duck and Ubaid Raza for a seven-ball duck in his first over, before getting rid of Zahid Hussain (10, 8b, 1x4) in his second over.
Ghulam Raza (52, 39b, 4x4s, 3x6s) and Mohammad Huzaifa (29, 33b, 2x4s, 1x6) rebuilt the innings with a 68-run fourth-wicket partnership before the latter got out in the 14th over with 86 on the board.
After Raza’s dismissal in the 16th over at 101, the 187-run target proved to be daunting as Larkana managed to get to 124-6 in their 20 overs, falling 62 runs short.
Khalil returned figures of 4-0-36-3, while Ibrahim Snr bagged three for 15 in as many overs.
In the coming three days, the toss for the first match of each of the round will now take place at 3:30pm for the first fixture and 8:45pm for the second. The innings break in the first match on each of 21, 22 and 23 February has been extended to one hour.
Scores in brief:
Match 13: Karachi Region Blues beat AJK Region by five wickets at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.
AJK 152-7, 20 overs (Hasnain Nadeem 59, Arsalan Mehzood 28, Hasan Raza 22; Wahaj Riaz 3-20, Rehman Ghani 3-24)
Karachi Blues 153-5, 18.5 overs (Muhammad Ghazi Ghori 50, Mohammad Usman Rahim 33, Mohammad Taha 24; Faizan Saleem 3-21)
Player of the match: Wahaj Riaz (Karachi Region Blues)
Match 14: Quetta Region beat Larkana Region by 62 runs at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
Quetta 186-6, 20 overs (Bismillah Khan 51, Yasir Khan 45, Mohammad Ibrahim Snr 27, Salahuddin 24, Haseebullah 20 not out; Mushtaq Ahmed 2-39)
Larkana 124-6, 20 overs (Ghulam Raza 52, Mohammad Huzaifa 29; Mohammad Ibrahim Snr 3-15, Khalil Ahmed 3-36)
Player of the match: Bismillah Khan (Quetta Region)
Saturday’s fixtures: (Pool B)
Hyderabad v FATA at 4pm PKT
Bahawalpur v Dera Murad Jamali at 9:15pm PKT
