Sialkot and Multan from Group D secured their places in the quarter-finals of the National T20 Cup with commanding victories in their final group-stage matches at Iqbal Stadium on Thursday.
Led by Shoaib Malik, Sialkot finished atop Group D with six points from three matches, while Multan followed with four points from as many games.
In the 27th match of the tournament, Multan powered past FATA by 74 runs, thanks to Arafat Minhas’s all-round performance. Batting first, Multan posted 167/7.
Minhas provided late acceleration with a quick 37 off 18 deliveries, hitting three fours and two sixes. FATA’s Sameen Gul and Asif Ali claimed two wickets each, while Mohammad Naeem and Azaz Khan picked up one apiece.
Multan's skipper Zain Abbas scored a crucial 51 off 41 balls.
In reply, FATA struggled to 93 all out in 17.2 overs. Salman Khan was the top scorer with 22 off 22 balls, while Rehan Afridi and Shahid Aziz contributed 14 each.
Multan’s bowlers dominated, with Minhas, Sharooj Siraj, and Ali Majid taking two wickets each, while Muhammad Shahzad, Faisal Akram, and Waseem Akram chipped in with one.
The 28th match saw Sialkot cruise to an eight-wicket win over Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), with Usama Mir’s economical bowling and Mirza Baig’s explosive knock leading the charge.
Batting first, AJK managed 137/6 despite a 65-run opening stand between Hasan Raza (39) and Hasnain Nadeem (43). Usama Mir and Hasan Ali took three wickets each, with Mir conceding just 13 runs in his four overs.
Sialkot chased down the 138-run target with 33 balls to spare. Baig anchored the innings with an unbeaten 76 off 44 balls, striking seven fours and four sixes. He was supported by Muhammad Hurraira (30) and Mohsin Riaz (25*).
Shoaib Malik fell cheaply for two, with Saad Asif taking the lone wicket for AJK.
With these victories, Sialkot and Multan now advance to the quarter-finals, keeping their title hopes alive.
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