The Mohammad Ishaq-led Hindukush Strikers beat the Pamir Legends by 1 wicket in the Grand Finale to win the second edition of the XBull Wakhan National T20 Cup 2025, Powered By Etisalat.
The event started on June 28 in Kunduz province, which saw four
teams competing in a double round-robin format, followed by the final between
the top two teams that was held today in Kunduz Cricket Ground in Kunduz
province.
Earlier in the morning, Nangyal Kharoti won the toss and decided
that the Pamir Legends would bat first in the final. Dawlat Zadran (2/4),
Abdullah Tarakhil (2/11), Tariq Stanikzai (2/20), Azim Zadran (1/5), Yama Arab
(1/18), and Faridoon Dawoodzai (1/33) put on a terrific bowling effort to help
the Hindukush Strikers bundle the Pamir Legends out for 97 runs in the first
inning. Noor Ul Rahman (31), Nangyal Kharoti (23,) and Arab Gul (16*) were the
only three batters to have made it double-figures, as they failed to put a big
total on the board.
The batting in the second inning was equally challenging as the
Hindukush Strikers struggled while chasing the target. They managed to secure
victory by just 1 wicket, reaching the target with the penultimate delivery, to
be crowned as the champions of the XBull Wakhan National T20 Cup 2025, Powered
by Etisalat.
Despite terrific bowling efforts from Mohammadullah (2/6), Arab Gul
(2/17), Bilal Sami (2/24), and Nangyal Kharoti (1/14), the Pamir Legends failed
to defend the target, losing the match by only 1 wicket.
Dawlat Zadran (2/4), who put on a fantastic bowling effort in the
first inning, was awarded the player of the match. Hindukush Strikers’ slow
left-arm spinner Azeem Zadran, who took 9 wickets during the event, was awarded
the Emerging Player of the Tournament.
Yama Arab, Hindukush Strikers' young fast bowler, picked 11
wickets and was recognized as the best bowler of the XBull Wakhan National T20
Cup 2025, Powered by Etisalat. In addition, Hindukush Strikers’ top-order
batter Zubaid Akbari was adjudged as the best batter of the tournament for
scoring 167 runs at 33.40 in the event.
Farmanullah Safi, Mahipar Stars’ medium-fast bowling all-rounder,
scored 162 runs and also took 3 wickets in the event, was awarded the best
player of the tournament.
The XBull Wakhan National T20 Cup 2025, powered by Etisalat, is
the second edition of this tournament, which was added to the domestic cricket
structure last year. Following this event, the most prestigious T20 tournament
in the domestic calendar, the Etisalat Shapgeeza Cricket League, powered by
XBull, will begin on July 19 in Kabul.