Karachi: Karachi Region Whites may have narrowly missed out on a semifinal berth, but their spirited campaign in the National U19 One-Day Cup left a strong impression — thanks largely to the all-round brilliance of captain Huzaifa Ahsan and the lethal bowling of Naqib Shafiq.

Karachi Whites finished fourth in their group, winning five out of eight matches, and were competitive throughout the tournament. Under Huzaifa’s leadership, the team showed consistency and balance, falling just short of qualification despite a string of hard-fought victories.

Huzaifa emerged as one of the tournament’s standout performers, amassing 415 runs at an impressive average of 59.29, including a superb 108, his highest score of the campaign. With the ball, the Karachi skipper also chipped in decisively, taking 10 wickets, further underlining his all-round value.

If Huzaifa was the engine driving Karachi’s batting, Naqib Shafiq was their spearhead with the ball. The right-arm pacer proved unplayable at times, finishing with 21 wickets at a miserly economy rate of 2.80. His best figures of 6 for 15 were among the finest bowling performances of the tournament and a highlight of Karachi’s campaign.

Despite Karachi Whites’ impressive performances, their counterparts Karachi Blues endured a difficult season, managing only two wins out of eight matches. Their inconsistent batting and lack of penetration with the ball saw them finish near the bottom of the standings.

The final of the National U19 One-Day Cup will see Lahore Region and Rawalpindi Region — the top teams from their respective groups — battle for the title.

While Karachi Whites fell short of silverware, their two top performers, Huzaifa Ahsan and Naqib Shafiq, stood tall as among the best players of the entire tournament, reaffirming Karachi’s reputation as one of Pakistan’s most reliable nurseries of young cricketing talent.