Lahore Blues secured the National T20 Cup 2025 title with a commanding nine-wicket victory over Peshawar in the final at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad. Salman Mirza’s four-wicket haul and Umar Siddique’s unbeaten 64 led Lahore to a comfortable chase of 111 runs in just 16 overs.
Peshawar Struggles with the Bat
Batting first, Peshawar failed to gain momentum, posting a modest 110-9 in 20 overs. Despite a few contributions from Mohammad Zulkifal (32 off 29, four fours and a six) and Iftikhar Ahmed (34 off 33, two fours), the innings never truly took off.
The collapse started early as Sahibzada Farhan (17) and Waqar Ahmed (9) fell within the first two overs, leaving Peshawar reeling at 10-2. Wickets continued to tumble, and by the fourth over, they were struggling at 26-4.
Zulkifal and Iftikhar provided some stability, but once Zulkifal was dismissed in the 13th over, Peshawar’s batting order crumbled. Captain Iftikhar fell at 101-9, and the tail failed to contribute, finishing at 110-9.
Salman Mirza Shines with the Ball
Salman Mirza was the standout performer for Lahore Blues, claiming 4-21 in four overs, dismantling Peshawar’s batting order. Mohammad Irfan also impressed, picking up 2-20.
Lahore’s Confident Chase
Lahore’s chase began steadily, despite losing opener Imran Butt (11) to Usman Tariq (1-20). However, Umar Siddique and Junaid Ali (30 off 30) formed a crucial, unbeaten partnership to take Lahore over the line.
Umar led the charge with a match-winning 64 off 46 balls, smashing six fours and two sixes. Junaid provided solid support as Lahore reached the target in 16 overs with nine wickets in hand.
Despite some tight overs, Peshawar’s bowlers failed to break the partnership, allowing Lahore to dominate the final and lift the trophy.
Thrilling Semi-Final Encounters
A day earlier, Peshawar and Lahore Blues booked their places in the final after securing wins over Abbottabad and Multan, respectively.
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Peshawar’s 56-run victory over Abbottabad was powered by Sahibzada Farhan’s explosive 148 off 72 balls, which included 10 fours and 12 sixes. Peshawar set a massive 243-3, while Abbottabad managed 187-8 in 20 overs.
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Lahore Blues edged past Multan by five runs in a tense semi-final, thanks to Imran Butt’s unbeaten 89 off 56 balls (11 fours, two sixes).
With a dominant performance in the final, Lahore Blues have once again stamped their authority in Pakistan’s domestic T20 circuit.
