National T20 Cup: Faisalabad thump Bahawalpur to taste maiden triumph

PESHAWAR: A collective bowling effort, followed by Atiq-ur-Rehman's anchoring half-century, powered Faisalabad to a comprehensive six-wicket victory over Bahawalpur in the ninth match of the National T20 Cup here at the Imran Khan Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

Bahawalpur captain Muhammad Imran's decision to bat first backfired as they could accumulate 158 before getting bowled out in 19.5 overs.

Opener Mohammad Faizan Zafar remained the top-scorer with a 27-ball 36, comprising four fours and two sixes, while the middle-order duo of Daniyal Hussain Rajput and Mohammad Sarwar Afridi were the other notable contributors, making 25 and 22, respectively.

Zaman Khan spearheaded Faisalabad's bowling charge, taking three wickets for 30 runs in his 3.5 overs. He was supported by Momin Qamar and Afaq Afridi, who bagged two each, while Mubasir Khan and Shehzad Gul chipped in with one apiece.

In response, Faisalabad comfortably chased down the 159-run target for the loss of four wickets and 13 balls to spare to register their first victory in the ongoing National T20 Cup 2026.

Leading the way for them was Atiq-ur-Rehman, who made a 51-ball 94, studded with 15 fours and a six, which earned him the Player of the Match award.

He also shared a 93-run partnership for the third wicket with Muhammad Awais Zafar, who made a handy contribution with a 24-ball 25, featuring one six and a four.

Asif Ali and captain Muhammad Irfan Khan gave final touches to the 159-run pursuit, scoring unbeaten cameos of 14 and 11, respectively.

Mohammad Basit was the pick of the bowlers for Bahawalpur as he returned economical bowling figures of 3/23 in his four overs, while Mohammad Azab made one scalp.