KARACHI: Mohammad Huraira played a blistering knock to help Sialkot in beating Lahore Blues by seven wickets in the Super Eight Stage of the ongoing National T20 Cup 2023-24.

Sialkot chased the target of 150 in the last over of their innings. With this consolation win for Sialkot, the four semi-finalists have also been locked.

Lahore Blues had slim chances of qualifying but their loss means that the top four teams are Peshawar, Abbottabad, Karachi Whites and Rawalpindi.

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Earlier, Lahore Blues won the toss and elected to bat first. Umar Siddiq (27, 17b, 4x4s) and Imran Butt (30, 19b, 5x4s) put up a 56-run opening partnership.

In the next two overs, Sialkot lost three quick wickets. Qasim Akram, batting at number 5, kept the Lahore Blues innings together with an unbeaten 53 comprising six boundaries and one maximum.

Sialkot’s gritty bowling effort restricted Lahore Blues to 149-8 in the allotted 20 overs. Shoaib Malik and Usman Khalid picked up two wickets apiece.

In pursuit, Sialkot lost Ashir Mehmood in the third over.

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Mohammad Huraira (86 not out, 55b, 9x4s, 3x6s) on one end continued with his audacious strokeplay as he stitched a partnership of 50 runs with Momin Waqar (25, 20b, 4x4s) and then a 39-run partnership with Shoaib Malik (10, 17b).

Mohammad Waleed also contributed with an unbeaten 16-ball 19.

Lahore Blues bowlers only struck thrice as Umaid Asif, Nisar Ahmad and Kashif Bhatti bagged a wicket each.

Mohammad Huraira was declared player of the match for his excellent knock.

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