Lahore Blues Thursday emerged victorious in the National T20 Cup, securing the title with a commanding 9-wicket win over Peshawar in the final at Iqbal Stadium.
Led by Hussain Talat, Lahore Blues delivered a stellar performance to outclass Iftikhar Ahmed's Peshawar side.
The match’s standout performer was Muhammad Salman Mirza, the left-arm fast bowler, who ripped through Peshawar’s batting lineup with a sensational 4-wicket haul for just 21 runs in his four-over spell.
Winning the toss and opting to bat first, Peshawar managed only 110/9 in their allotted 20 overs. Their batting revolved around captain Iftikhar Ahmed, who top-scored with 34 runs, and wicketkeeper Zulkifal, who contributed 32 runs. Sahibzada Farhan, who had been in red-hot form with three centuries in the tournament, failed to deliver in the final, managing only 17 runs.
For Lahore Blues, apart from Salman Mirza’s fiery spell, Mohammad Irfan also impressed, claiming two wickets to keep Peshawar under pressure.
Chasing 111 runs, Lahore Blues cruised to victory in just 16 overs, losing only one wicket in the process. Opener Omar Siddique played a match-winning knock, remaining unbeaten on 64 runs, smashing six fours and two sixes. Junaid Ali also remained not out on 30 runs, ensuring a comfortable chase after the early departure of Imran Butt.
With his exceptional bowling performance, Muhammad Salman Mirza was awarded the Player of the Match.
Despite failing in the final, Sahibzada Farhan was named the Best Batsman and Player of the Tournament, amassing 605 runs at an astonishing average of 121. Sialkot’s Hasan Ali was awarded Best Bowler for his 13 wickets in the competition, while Lahore Whites’ Muhammad Akhlaq was named the Best Wicketkeeper, scoring 114 runs, along with four catches and two stumpings.