National T20 Cup: Abdullah, Usama Star as Sialkot Crush Abbottabad

Sialkot Region registered a big win over Abbottabad Region in the latest clash of the National T20 Cup. They won the match by 31 runs, courtesy of a strong batting performance by Abdullah Shafique in the first innings.

Batting first, Sialkot Region didn’t have a great start, as they lost both openers quickly in the Powerplay. Abdullah Shafique then came to the crease at number three and immediately launched a counterattack that unsettled the bowling plans of the Abbottabad Region. He showcased his class in the middle by playing shots all around the ground, as Abbottabad bowlers failed to contain him from rotating the scoreboard.

Besides Abdullah Shafique, Hasan Nawaz also played confidently at the other end, showcasing his ability to bat in the middle order. Due to their combined efforts, Sialkot managed to post a big total on the board, as Abdullah Shafique starred with a superlative 96 runs.

When Abbottabad Region came out to chase the target, they looked very uncomfortable against the bowling attack of Sialkot. Besides Sajjad Ali Hashmi, the top order of Abbottabad failed miserably, as Shoaib Akhtar Jnr and Mohammad Ali took back-to-back wickets to jolt their opening batting plans.

Sajjad then tried to build a partnership with the middle order batters, but couldn’t find any solid support from the other end. As a result, he also lost his wicket after scoring 40 runs, courtesy of some fine bowling by Usama Mir.

The lower middle order then showcased some fight back, but they couldn’t match the required run-rate that kept rising continuously. Due to that, they also lost their wickets, forcing the entire Abbottabad innings to get bundled out for 171 runs. It helped Sialkot Region to secure a big victory by 31 runs, which marked their second convincing win in the ongoing National T20 Cup.