Shahid Afridi inaugurates HBL Inter-Schools Cricket Tournament

Pakistan News & Features Services

Shahid Afridi, the newly appointed Pakistan T20 skipper and an explosive all-rounder, inaugurated the HBL Inter-Schools Cricket Tournament 2014 in a colourful ceremony at the Karachi Gymkhana Cricket Ground on September 18. 

More than 500 students from the participating schools were present with their placards in the inaugration ceremony which was also attended by Younis Khan, an ex-Pakistan captain and a prolific top-order batsman, and former cricketers, Jalaluddin and Abdul Raquib. 

Aman Aziz Siddiqui, Head of Strategy & Investment, HBL, in his brief speech, announced that his bank will be making the Inter-Schools tournament a national event with the collaboration of the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA). A large number of personnel from HBL’s marketing department were also in attendance. 

Fawad Ijaz Khan, Chairman, PVCA, welcomed the initiative of HBL and looked forward to making the Inter-Schools competition a nationwide annual event. He mentioned that it’s for the seventh time when the PVCA is organizing an Inter-Schools tournament in Karachi. 

Shahid Afridi and Younis Khan, proud products of HBL, mingled with the players and officials of the participating teams besides giving them a brief motivational talk. In their brief address, they emphasized on the importance of discipline in the game. 

The inauguration ceremony was covered extensively by the electronic media and the presence of television cameras and crew looked like dream come true occasion for the participating school students who were already thrilled by rubbing shoulders with two of the greatest cricketers of the world.

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Shahid Afridi, Younis Khan to attend HBL Inter-Schools inauguration

Pakistan News & Features Services

The flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi, reinstated as the Pakistan T20 skipper, and the majestic Younis Khan, a prolific batsman and former Pakistan captain, will be attending the inauguration ceremony of HBL Inter-Schools Cricket Tournament 2014 at the Karachi Gymkhana Cricket Ground on September 18. 

Aman Aziz Siddiqui, Head of Strategy & Investment, HBL, will be the chief guest in the inaugural ceremony to be presided over by Fawad Ijaz Khan, Chairman, Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA). 

The colourful opening ceremony, in which the participants of all the schools will be taking part with their placards, is scheduled to start at 9 am and conclude at 9.45 am. It will be followed by the inaugural match between St Paul High School and Rangers Public School. 

Shahid Afridi and Younis Khan, both of whom are proud products of HBL, will be exchanging pleasantries with the players and officials of the participating teams besides giving them a brief motivational talk. Aman Sports will be extending technical support during the course of the tournament in which the participating teams have been divided equally in eight groups. 

A total of 32 outfits, including two teams selected by HBL on the basis of open trials have entered the HBL Inter-Schools Cricket Tournament 2014 being organized by the PVCA.

A total of 55 matches will be played over a period of nearly two and a half months. At the end of the league matches, the leaders of all the eight groups will qualify for the knockout stage of the competition, starting with the quarter-finals. The final is due to be played at the Karachi Gymkhana on November 27. 

Besides the Karachi Gymkhana Cricket Ground, the matches will be played at the Naya Nazimbabad Hussain Lawai Stadium, NBP Sports Complex, TMC, KCCA Stadium and SKBZ. 

This is the seventh time when the PVCA will be organizing an Inter-Schools tournament in Karachi. The HBL management has agreed to look into the possibilities of transforming the HBL Inter-Schools Cricket into an annual event with the collaboration of the PVCA. 

The tournament organizing committee is being headed by Alamgir Ahmed with Amjad Islam, Visal Ansari, Hasnain Bokhari and Syed Farrukh Manzoor being its members. Brig Salahuddin heads the disciplinary committee whose other members are Iqbal Umar and Jalaluddin. 

The players born on or after September 1, 1997 will be eligible to take part in the tournament and only those teams/players approved by the PVCA will be allowed to take the field. All the matches will be 40-overs-a-side contest with the reporting time being 9.15 am and the match starting time to be 10 am.

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HBL Inter-Schools Cricket Tournament to commence on Sept 18

Pakistan News & Features Services

A total of 32 outfits will be taking part in the HBL Inter-Schools Cricket Tournament 2014, being organized by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA). 

The details about the tournament, to be spread over nearly two and half months, were unveiled in a media briefing by Fawad Ijaz Khan, Chairman, PVCA, and Aman Aziz Siddiqui, Head of Strategy & Investment, HBL, at the Karachi Gymkhana on September 15. 

The top functionaries of the PVCA, Nadeem Omar, Brig Salahuddin and Iqbal Umar, were also present on the occasion, along with the chief of the HBL Sports Division, Abdul Raquib, the President of the Karachi City Cricket Association (KCCA), Prof Ejaz Ahmed Farooqui, and the Head of the Aman Sports, Khwaja Obaid Ilyas. Besides the media corps, the representatives of the participating schools also attended the briefing.

It was announced that former Pakistan captains, Younis Khan and Shahid Afridi, both of whom are employed by HBL, will be making in an appearance in the tournament’s opening ceremony at the Karachi Gymkhana on September 18. 

Fawad Ijaz Khan, in his speech, highlighted the role of the PVCA in the promotion of cricket at the grassroots level, as the association is holding seventh edition of the Inter-School Tournament in Karachi . 

“We had launched the Inter-Schools cricket on the pattern of the Ruby Shield, which used to be the premier tournament of its kind and it’s still talked about with great awe. We have visualized something similar and we need supporters like HBL to join hands with us in making it an annual event,” he observed. 

“By holding the Inter-Schools tournaments we have continually dispelled the impression that the PVCA was catering to the needs of the veteran cricketers only. This tournament is another strong reminder that we do care for the youngsters of the society as well,” Fawad Ijaz Khan emphasized. 

Aman Aziz Siddiqui, Head of Strategy & Investment, HBL, remarked that his institution took pride in having been in the forefront in the development of sports over the years and they looked forward to playing their role as a responsible corporate citizen. 

He agreed to look into the possibilities of transforming the HBL Inter-Schools Cricket into an annual event besides spreading it to other parts of the country as the idea was to promote the game from the grassroots level. 

“Sports remains an integral part of education and we desire to play a proactive role in supporting activities aimed at facilitating the youngsters. Cricket and football are the two games we are concentrating on at the moment,” he added. 

The participating teams have been divided equally in eight groups. The Group A comprises of HBL Schoolboys Whites, Behbud Boys Secondary School , Ladybird Grammar School and Foundation Public School while the Group B contains Habib Public School , Army Public School , Fatimiyah Boys School and Beaconhouse School PECHS. 

The Group C features Kamran Public School , Aga Khan Higher Secondary School , Falconhouse Grammar School and Azeem Academy while the Group D is composed of Fahad Academy , New Standard Grammar School, Zeeshan Public School and Qadri Model School.

The quartet of St Patrick’s High School, Karachi Grammar School , Civil Aviation Authority School and Beaconhouse School North Nazimabad constitute the Group E while the Group F has the presence of St Paul ’s High School, Karachi Public School, Happy Home School and Rangers Public School . 

The Group G includes Fahim School System, Ebrahim Ali Bhai School , Qamar-e-Bani Hashim School and Khan Secondary while the contestants in the Group H are HBL Schoolboys Greens, New Oxford Grammar School, The City School and Metropolitan Academy. 

At the end of the league matches, the leaders of all the eight groups will be advancing to the knockout stage of the competition, starting with the quarter-finals. Both the semifinals as well as the final will be telecast live. The final will be played at the Karachi Gymkhana on November 27.

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Pakistan Customs declare 2015 as Year of Jalaluddin

By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Pakistan Customs has decided to celebrate 2015 as the tribute year to Jalaluddin, a former Test bowler, in recognition of his services as a player, a coach and as an administrator. 

The announcement was made by Nazim Saleem, Chief Collector Customs, (Enforcement South), during his speech in the certificate distribution ceremony of the Pace Bowler’s Training Camp, organized by the Customs Cricket Academy (CCA) which took place on the evening of September 13. 

The Chief Collector, undertaking his maiden visit to the CCA, housed in Federal-B-Area, thoroughly appreciated the efforts of his predecessors for having supported the cause of the game by developing a state-of-the-art cricket academy. 

Nazim Saleem paid glowing tribute to the deceased CCA coach, Shabbir Hussain, besides recognizing the administrators and the coaches of the academy. He lavished Jalaluddin with praise for his single-mindedness and consistency of purpose. 

“It’s quite extraordinary how he has worked for the development of the players in the country. Let us acknowledge the efforts of Head Coach Jalaluddin for having established the CCA as the leading academy of the country. We think it’s the right time to honour Jalaluddin on his meritorious services for cricket and players development. We will hold quite a few events to pay tribute to Jalaluddin such as T-20 Cricket Match, grand gala dinner and a seminar on coaching during the coming year (2015),” the Chief Collector stated. 

He advised the management of the CCA to install a sculpture of Khalil Masood, a former collector and the founder of the academy, at the entrance to the ground in recognition of his marvellous deeds. 

Jalaluddin, in his speech, highlighted the salient features of the Pace Bowler’s Training Programme, which was organized to give an opportunity to the young and upcoming pace bowlers having talent and desiring to develop themselves as quality bowlers. He described pace bowling as a combination of talent, science and art. 

“The programme, sponsored by Omar Associates, has proved that there is no dearth of pace bowlers in Karachi. Ther event has been successful one as few of them performed well at the district level and were selected for first time for region,” the former Test fast bowler remarked. 

“Maham Tariq, the only girl who was selected for the camp, showed great improvement during the training programme and she was rewarded for his great effort by picking her for Pakistan’s women cricket team for the tour of Australia. She only had participated at district level before coming here,” Jalaluddin, who performed the first hat-trick in One-day Internationals, added. 

Meanwhile Basit Ali was declared the best bowler of the camp, Nawaz Khan was adjudged as the best learner, Abdullah Aziz was decorated as the best young bowler and Maham Tariq was recognized as the find of the camp.

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Jahangir Moghul considers Grand Master Ashraf Tai as Bruce Lee of Pakistan

By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Jahangir Moghul, a renowned social figure and philanthropist, has compared Pakistan’s most famous Grand Master Mohammad Ashraf Tai to Bruce Lee, the legendary Hong Kong American martial artist and martial arts instructor. 

“Grand Master Ashraf Tai has remained an iconic figure throughout the country for decades and his students and trainees have taken bando karate, introduced in Pakistan by him in 1971, to different corners of the world. He commands the same kind of respect in Pakistan which Bruce Lee had earned for his exploits in martial arts,” Jahangir Moghul, elected as District Governor of Rotary International for the year 2015-16, remarked during his recent visit to the headquarters of Tai’s Karate Centre, housed at the KGA Gymkhana in Karachi. 

He has also proposed Lifetime Achievement Award for the legendary martial artist, Grand Master Ashraf Tai, in recognition of his meritorious services in the promotion of karate. 

Credited to have introduced bando karate, the Burmese style of martial arts, in Pakistan way back in 1971, Grand Master Ashraf Tai earned worldwide fame with his accomplishments against the top-notchers of the sport. 

Jahangir Moghul, who has been proactively involved in community service and social work over a number of years, besides doing justice to his various portfolios in the managing committees of the Karachi Gymkhana, has remained an ardent supporter of Grand Master Ashraf Tai. 

“He’s an icon of marial arts and a role model for the youngsters of the country. It has been a privilege visiting the Tai’s Karate Centre and watching the Grand Master in action imparting training to the keen learners of different age-groups. It’s quite extraordinary that he has not lost the intensity despite the bouts of illness during the last couple of years. Let’s pray for his long life with immaculate health,” Jahangir Moghul observed. 

“Grand Master Ashraf Tai is a deserved winner of the Pride of Performance Award which was bestowed upon him by the President of Pakistan more than a decade time. Heroes like him need to be recognized again and again. He should be considered for a Life Achievement Award at the highest level now,” Jahangir Moghul reckoned. 

He recalled that Grand Master Ashraf Tai had created a sensation by overpowering Stanley Michael of Malaysia in the final of the Afro-Asia Championship in 1978 and he confirmed his superiority in the continent by outwitting Japan 's Koha Yash a year later. 

It may be recalled that Grand Master Ashraf Tai is also credited to have founded the Pakistan Karate Federation (PKF) and succeeded in having the body affiliated to the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) as well as the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB).  Having received numerous awards in various continents of the world during his illustrious career, he was declared the International Grand Master of the Year in 2000 by an institution based in the United States . 

The Tai's Bando Karate Centre has trained thousands of martial artists. The branches of his centres have not only been functioning with great success all over the country but the students trained by him have also been operating the centres named after him in quite a few countries like the United States of America (USA), England, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, France, Holland and Bangladesh. 

Grand Master Ashraf Tai holds the distinction of claiming the highest degree (8th Dan) in the martial arts history of the country. Only a handful of martial artists have matched his feat worldwide. He had started karate at the age of nine with his master Lee Phow Shin while he received black belt at the age of 16. He started participating in a lot of local tournaments, most of which were professional. 

Less than a year after migrating to Karachi from Chittagong in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) in 1970, he started the first-ever martial arts school in Pakistan by the name of Tai’s Karate Centre which was located at the Hill Park. He then shifted the centre to its present premises at the KGA Gymkhana. 

The Tai’s Karate Centre expanded gradually. In the beginning when he started teaching karate at the Hill Park, there are hardly six to seven students and the Grand Master had to persuade people to come and learn karate. The students trained by him spread the word around in a few years time the growth became phenomenal and the rest is history.

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Naya Nazimabad Peace Cup scales greater heights in second edition

By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The recently held second edition of the Naya Nazimabad Peace Cup 2014 turned out to be a standout event of Karachi. The picturesque Lawai Stadium, illuminated with stunning floodlights, remained the talk of the town with the live telecast of the knockout games for seven nights running. 

Everything about the tournament, spread over a month or so, was near perfect. The facilities at the ground were truly exceptional. It was quite extraordinary how they managed to save the pitch when it rained heavily before the start of the one of the semifinals. 

There were fears that the match might have to be postponed because the rain was so heavy. But the pitch had been so nicely protected that it remained dry when the covers were taken off much to the amusement of the players and the officials. It was nothing short of a miracle that 12-overs-a-side contest was still made possible shortly at the end of the heavy downpour. 

There were apprehensions in some minds about the location of the ground but, as Arif Habib, Chairman, Arif Habib Group, had so emphatically stated during the media launch of the event at the Karachi Gymkhana a couple of days before the start of the tournament, there was nothing to worry about when approaching the ground or leaving it. 

The event progressed very smoothly indeed and not a single untoward incident was reported during 31 nights of cricket action. There was no issue of law and order situation in the area during the entire length of the tournament. 

All the matches were played under floodlights and there was tremendous excitement at the ground which built an atmosphere that’s rarely found at other venues of Karachi these days. The dream of establishing the Lawai Stadium in Naya Nazimabad as a model cricket ground is very much on the way to fulfillment. 

It has already created waves in a short span of time and it seems a matter of time when high-profile matches will be taking place at this marvellous venue. The 2nd Naya Nazimabad Peace Cup was yet another feather in the cap of the promoters of the massive housing scheme, who consider cricket as the paramount source of binding the various sections of the society. 

It went to the credit of the management of the corporation to have arranged for the live telecast of the knockout matches of the 2nd Peace Cup which was a great value addition for the tournament itself. It was quite a remarkable achievement to have done it so quickly. Other local tournaments have also been televised in the recent past but it had taken ages for them to do so. 

The Naya Nazimabad Peace Cup, launched only last year, was on air in only its second edition. The presence of the high-ranking government officials, including Commissioner Karachi, Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui, and Advisor on Sports to Sindh Chief Minister, Adil Siddiqui, besides some top businessmen of the country was a testimonial to the success of the tournament. 

Mohammad Iqbal, Director Sports, Naya Nazimabad, played the pivotal role in making the tournament a resounding success. The former first-class cricketer, who also has vast experience of cricket administration, worked with missionary zeal almost round the clock to ensure that everything remained in order. 

The success of the 2nd Peace Cup should pave the way for further glories for the Lawai Stadium which is expected to host matches of the national cricket tournaments, organized by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), as early as the upcoming season. The Lawai Stadium, named after Hussain Lawai, a famous banker, seems set to become one of the most sought-after cricket grounds of the country.

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Brilliant Faisal Khan leads India’s triumph in Jubilee Insurance Asian Team Event

By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The brilliance of Mohammad Faisal Khan allowed India to retain the crown as they prevailed over arch-rivals Pakistan in the final of the 2nd Asian Team Event Snooker Championship 2014 at Hotel Avari Towers, Karachi, on August 23.

India A, comprising of Kamal Chawla, Faisal Khan and Dharmendra Singh Lilly, overpowered Pakistan A, featuring Mohammad Asif, the 2012 world champion, and Mohammad Sajjad, 3-1 in the final with the frame scores of 104-0, 95-1, 26-99, 83-43. 

The presentation ceremony was held soon after the conclusion of the final in which handsome cash prizes, trophies and medals were awarded to the outstanding performers. 

Tahir Ahmed, Managing Director, Jubilee General Insurance, was the chief guest of the evening while Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui, Commissioner, Karachi, was the guest of honour. They credited the organizers for doing a fabulous job. 

The top functionaries of the Asian Confederation of Billiards Sports (ACBS) and the Pakistan Billiards & Snooker Association (PBSA) were also present on the occasion. 

Earlier in the day, the Indian trio had stunned the favourites Iran, being represented by Hossien Vafaei Ayouri, the 2011 world champion, and Amir Sarkosh, having clinched the Asian 6-Reds title a few days ago, in the semifinals 3-1 with the frame scores of 136-0, 76-4, 58-61, 82-42. 

Pakistan had cruised in the final by hammering the dangerous Thailand, having Kritsanut Lertsattayathorn and Boonyarit Kaettikun, in the semifinals 3-1 with the frame scores of 71-53, 119-12, 1-76, 62-13. 

Faisal Khan remained India’s hero of the day as he starred in both the crunch matches which motivated his teammates, Kamal Chawla and Dharmendra Singh, to also rise to the occasion. He won both his singles matches in the final against Pakistan. 

He got his team off to a flying start as blanked Mohammad Asif in the opening frame, chalking up a fantastic break of 70. The momentum was sustained by Kamal Chawla who outfoxed Mohammad Sajjad in the next frame, compiling a superb break of 91. 

Asif-Sajjad pulled it back for the home side by winning the doubles frame against the duo of Faisal Khan and Dharmendra Singh. Sajjad was under intense pressure when he appeared to take on Faisal Khan in the fourth frame and the latter pressed home the advantage. He capitalized on his early lead and overcame some nervous moments to seal the fate of the tournament. 

Faisal Khan had led India off to a spectacular start in the semifinals too, registering breaks of 81 and 55 in the opening frame against the supremely confident Amir Sarkosh. Kamal Chawla doubled the lead by outplaying Hossien Vafaei Ayouri. The Iranians kept the contest alive by narrowly winning the third frame but it was all over for them when Kamal Chawla defeated Amir Sarkosh in the fourth frame. 

In the other semifinal, Mohammad Asif edged out Kritsanut Lertsattayathorn in the opening frame and Mohammad Sajjad, with a classy break of 85, humbled Boonyarit Kaettikun in the next frame. The Thailand pair comfortably won the doubles contest but Mohammad Asif outgunned Boonyarit Kaettikun in the very next frame to guide Pakistan into the final.

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Highly educated Shahram Changezi brings grace to snooker arena

By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The doyen of sports journalists in Pakistan, Gul Hameed Bhatti, while reviewing one of my books, had observed that it’s always better to have more than one option professionally. He was referring to my degree in civil engineering and my passion for writing which had brought into journalism.

He was absolutely right. Having the luxury of choice is a blessing. You don’t feel like working and you never get tired when doing things that you actually love. Obviously it’s not always easy to get into that kind of position. 

There have been very few athletes who have also excelled in academics which provided dual career options. Cricketers of the pedigree of Abdul Hafeez Kardar, Majid Khan, Imran Khan and Rameez Raja were also successful in securing degrees in higher education. 

Shahram Changezi, a former national snooker champion, appears to be the first-ever top ranking cueist of the country, who has excelled in academic career as well.

He is currently representing Pakistan in the ongoing Jubilee Insurance 2nd Asian Team Event Snooker Championship 2014 being staged at Hotel Avari Towers in Karachi, is a rare breed of athletes having made it to the top while having pursued scholastic activities. 

Born at Islamabad on April 3, 1983, he has been raised in the federal capital. He matriculated from the Islamabad College for Boys G-6/3 in 1990 while he did FSc from the Punjab College a couple of years later. He graduated in business administration at the Preston University in 2009 before doing masters, also in business administration, from the Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad, in 2011. 

He has been employed at the headquarters of the prestigious National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) as Admin and Protocol Officer since 2013. 

Shahram Changezi had started playing snooker at the age of 15. He earned the Best Player of Punjab award at only 17 while he became the Punjab Cup champion in 2005 which paved the way for his entry in the national circuit.  It didn’t take him long to make his presence felt at the national level and he was crowned as the champion in 2007. He retained the title in 2008, the year which also saw him becoming the top ranked cueist of the country for the first time. He helped Pakistan win a bronze medal in the 2010 Asian Games in China.

He remains the only Pakistani, besides the England-based Shaukat Ali, to have featured in the in the top 100 UK Order of Merit, having done it in 2011. He was Pakistan’s third ranked cueist in 2012. 

Shahram Changezi’s academic career witnessed breaks to fuel his passion for snooker. He had taken a break from education from 2001 to 2004 and then again from 2009 to 2013. He took several years/semesters off in order to participate in the various snooker events. 

He is still one of the best exponents of cue sports in the country and he has the fierce determination to earn more glories for the country. He has completed his education but engaged in a full-time job at a leading university might not allow him the kind of time he would have ideally liked to devote to the game.

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