Peshawar outclass Karachi Whites in Pakistan Cup final

Peshawar secured their third one-day cup title, triumphing over Karachi Whites at Pindi Cricket Stadium by five wickets in the Pakistan Cup 2023-24 final.

Nabi Gul struck the winning runs for Peshawar, earning the Sahibzada Farhan-led side a cash prize of PKR 5 million.

Peshawar's last national one-day title victory dated back to the 2016-17 season, defeating the same opponent at National Bank Stadium, Karachi in the final by 124 runs.

Karachi Whites began their innings cautiously after Peshawar chose to bowl first on a surface favouring fast bowlers. The first setback came in the eighth over as Habibullah fell victim to left-arm pacer Mohammad Imran.

Saim Ayub, who shone with a score of 95 in the semi-final for Karachi Whites, was the second batter to depart when Imran struck again, dismissing him caught by Azam Khan. Wickets continued to tumble, none of the top five batters managing a score beyond 13.

Karachi Whites' skipper, Sarfaraz Ahmed, was caught by Iftikhar Ahmed off Imran for just 22 off 25 balls. Azam Khan was the final dismissal, making 30 off 46 deliveries, as Karachi struggled to 103 all out in 31.2 overs. Imran led with four wickets for 28 runs, while Mohammad Abbas Afridi secured three wickets.

Peshawar faced no significant hurdles in their chase of the small target, achieving victory with five wickets and 27.4 overs remaining. Mohammad Haris led with 46 off 33 balls, comprising seven fours and a six.

Sahibzada faced an unusual dismissal, accidentally dislodging the bails with his bat, resulting in a hit wicket off Ghulam Mudassar. Noman Ali took two wickets, with Danish Aziz and Saim each claiming one.

Haseebullah from Multan earned the Player of the Tournament and best wicket-keeper awards for his tally of 326 runs, including two centuries and 10 dismissals. Saim topped the batting charts with 397 runs in eight innings and was named the tournament's best batter. Multan's Zahid Mehmood and Peshawar's Abbas Afridi jointly won the best bowler award, each securing 15 wickets. Mohammad Imran was declared player of the final for his impactful 4-28 figures.