Naya Nazimabad Football Stadium set to become next big thing

By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

A football stadium of international standards is nearing completion in Naya Nazimabad and it will soon be made available for hosting matches, much to the delight of the local sports fraternity. 

The infrastructure projects hold lifeline to the development of sports and it’s very heartening indeed to find such a wonderful football stadium getting ready to become the next big thing in the city. 

It’s going to be the fulfillment of another dream of Arif Habib, Chairman, Arif Habib Group, who has already created waves in the sporting community by having developed the Lawai Stadium in Naya Nazimabad which is acclaimed as the most picturesque cricket ground of Karachi. 

It’s the vision of Arif Habib, one of the leading entrepreneurs of the country, besides his passion for sports, which has resulted in the development of cricket and football stadiums of international standard in Naya Nazimabad. 

Mohammad Iqbal, Director Sports, Naya Nazimabad, disclosed recently that the football ground, measuring 180 feet by 300 feet has a fully grassy field and the dugouts as well as the goal posts have already been installed. 

“The pavilion is under-construction and it will be ready very soon. The floodlights will be installed in the second phase which will also be completed in 2015. By the end of the year the floodlit Naya Nazimabad Football Stadium would be looking forward to become a most popular venue for the sport,” he observed. 

Mohammad Iqbal, a former cricketer, brings with him vast experience of sports administration as he headed the MCB’s sports department for a number of years, having remained associated in the development of infrastructure projects in the past as well. 

He has already proved his mettle at Naya Nazimabad as well where, with the total support of the Arif Habib Group and the proactive involvement of the top officials of the Javedan Corporation, the facilities for sports are being developed of the highest standard. 

The manner in which the Naya Nazimabad Lawai Stadium has been developed and maintained speaks volumes of the professional management and the extraordinary efforts having been put in. It’s quite remarkable how such a fantastic ground has been developed in incredibly quick time. More significantly it’s also being maintained properly. 

They have already staged a couple of editions of the Naya Nazimabad Peace Cup Cricket Tournament, under floodlights. In fact the knockout matches of the 2nd Peace Cup were telecast live. It was an accomplishment of sorts for the event having gone on air in only its second year. 

It seems a matter of time for the Lawai Stadium to start hosting matches of the national cricket tournaments, organized by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), on a regular basis. It’s a welcome addition to the list of well maintained cricket grounds in the city. 

The phenomenal success of the cricket stadium and the desire of the promoters of the massive housing project to patronize sports in their arena there’s very little doubt in one’s mind about the Naya Nazimabad Football Stadium becoming talk of the town in the not too distant future. 

It will be a particularly pleasing sight for the residents of Naya Nazimabad to have a high-quality football stadium, besides one for cricket, in their own backyard. Besides using the facilities themselves they will also get the rare opportunity of watching the star players in action in their own locality.

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Consistent policies, eagle-eyed selection vital for Pakistan cricket: Anwar-ul-Haq

By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Anwar-ul-Haq, a former opening batsman, has underscored the importance of consistent policies and professional management in order to revive the Pakistan cricket and put it on solid footing. 

“I have no doubt in mind that Pakistan has been blessed with outstanding cricket talent. All we need is the consistent policy at every level to make the most of it and be counted as as one of the top sides of world cricket,” he remarked in a recent chat. 

“I am saying this with total conviction because I have remained a part of the set-up which got hold of the raw talent and groomed them into stars. The colt scheme at the Muslim Commercial Bank (MCB) worked wonders and we were able to produce high-quality cricketers from the bunch of youngsters whom we had spotted from the grassroots level,” Anwar-ul-Haq, who became the coach of the bank after quitting first-class cricket, recalled. 

“Mohammad Yousuf, Younis Khan, Shahid Afridi, Asim Kamal, Atiq-uz-Zaman, Mohammad Zahid, Shahid Nazir and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, all of whom have played for Pakistan, were the proud products of MCB Colts. They possessed enormous talent but we provided them the platform and the opportunity to unfold their skills and move up the ladder,” he added. 

“There’s a long list of successful first-class players who began the journey with us. We were able to do it because of our consistent policies. Our bank’s President, Hussain Lawai, was a great supporter of inducting young blood. Our sports department’s chief, Mohammad Iqbal, also shared the same philosophy and we were able to execute the plans to perfection with the blessings of our management,” Anwar-ul-Haq, who scored 13 centuries in 108 first-class matches while scoring 5,854 runs, stated. 

“The Pakistan cricket also needs to adopt similar kind of policies for long-term benefit. Talented youngsters, if groomed and taken care of nicely, could prove to be assets. We need eagle-eyed selectors who can continue backing the players who have the spark and the guts to succeed at the higher level,” he suggested. 

“The regional or the national selectors can only be encouraged to do so if they have the backing of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). That’s where the issue of consistent policies comes up. The Board should look at the larger picture and merit should never be compromised. Otherwise the desired results might not be achieved,” Anwar-ul-Haq, who played against the visiting Australian and Indian teams in the 1980s, cautioned. 

“Once the induction of the youngsters starts taking place there were be a larger pool of cricketers and there will be more flexibility in selecting different outfits for different formats. We can also have T20 specialists or Test specialists as some other countries do have at the moment,” he pointed out. 

“In modern cricket, professional approach holds the key. The coaches need to be on their toes all the time. Gone are the days of the laidback thinkers or doers. Now we need proactive personnel to do the business. Cricket is played differently now but Pakistan has the talent to compete. It’s just a matter of better management in order to extract the best of the boys,” he concluded.

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Hassan’s all-round show enables Beaconhouse annex HBL Inter-Schools crown

Pakistan News & Features Services

Skipper Hassan Khan’s magnificent all-round performance helped Beaconhouse School North Nazimabad to overpower Fahad Academy by six wickets in the final of the HBL Inter-Schools Cricket Tournament 2014 at the National Stadium, Karachi.

Besides smashing 134 off only 79 balls, he also claimed three wickets to ensure that Beaconhouse School North Nazimabad clinched the trophy rather leisurely in the end. With the final and the prize distribution ceremony the curtain fell to the organized by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA) and sponsored by HBL. 

Set a target of 196 in 40 overs, Beaconhouse School North Nazimabad lost both the openers cheaply but guided them to the chase, with a sensational knock of 134 which contained five sixes and 18 fours. 

Beaconhouse School North Nazimabad was in sight of massive victory when he departed and the job was completed by the pair of Anwar Iqbal (26 off 20 balls) and Izaan Waqar (18 off 36 balls), both of them remaining undefeated, as the winning runs came in only the 27th over. 

Earlier the spin quartet of Hassan Khan (3-29), Muaz Bin Salman (2-24), Waleed Hasan (2-32) and Ahmed Salman (2-34) had sent Fahad Academy crashing to 195 all out in 38 overs after a solid start provided the opening pair of Babar Hassan (90 off 86 balls) and Mohammad Saleem (28 off 22 balls). 

The spinners did a terrific job by picking up wickets at regular intervals which choked the rate of scoring and restricted Fahad Academy to a total of below 200. 

The prize distribution ceremony was held soon after the conclusion of the final in which the chief guest, Aman Aziz Siddiqui, Head-Strategy & Investment, HBL, presented the winners trophy with a cheque of Rs 50,000 to the Beaconhouse School North Nazimabad captain, Hassan Khan, while Tauseef Khan, the Fahad Academy skipper, collected a cheque of Rs 30,000 with the runner-up trophy. 

In the individual awards category Tariq Bakht was declared the Player of the Tournament while, Ammad Alam, Mohiuddin Javed, Mohammad Moiz and Ammar Iqbal were declared as the best batsmen, the best bowler, the best fielder and the best wicketkeeper of the tournament respectively. 

In his brief address on the occasion, Aman Aziz Siddiqui announced that HBL will like to make the tournament a permanent annual event in future. 

Fawad Ijaz Khan, Chairman, PVCA, in his welcome address, made the announcement that the Inter-Schools Cricket Tournament will now be extended to the other cities of the country too.

Shaharyar M. Khan, Chairman, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), who was the guest of honour, assured the Board’s total support to the PVCA initiatives aimed at promoting the game from the grassroots level.

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Fahad Academy storm into HBL Inter-Schools Cricket final

Pakistan News & Features Services 

Fahad Academy stormed into the final of the HBL Inter-Schools Cricket Tournament 2014 by whipping St Paul English School by 135 runs in the semifinals of the at the National Stadium, Karachi. 

Fahad Academy will now be taking on Beaconhouse School North Nazimabad in the final at the same venue. The tournament is being organized by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA). 

Put into bat, Fahad Academy posted a mammoth total of 315 for seven in the allotted 40 overs. St Paul English School was never really in the hunt after losing wickets in quick succession. They were bowled out for 180 in 34.2 overs. 

The gamble of the St Paul English School skipper, Hammad Ahmed, to insert the opponents into bat after calling correctly, backfired and runs kept coming at brisk pace from the outset in the Fahad Academy innings. 

Fahad Academy lost an early wicket but the 105-run second wicket partnership between opener Mohammad Saleem (78 off 61 balls) and Farhan Shah (71 off 65 balls) put them in a strong position. 

Saleem whacked as many as 15 boundaries besides one six in his aggressive knock while Farhan smashed 10 fours in his enterprising half century. The middle-order batsmen capitalized on the solid platform and the boundaries kept coming despite the loss of wickets. 

Umair Bin Yousuf’s superb innings of 43 off 48 balls allowed the power hitters to do the business. Zeeshan Ahmed (26 off 21 balls) and Adeel Irshad (21 off 17 balls) batted brilliantly and the late flourish was provided by Mahmood Shah who remained undefeated on 29 off 22 balls which enabled Fahad Academy to post a huge total of 315 despite fine bowling from left-arm spinner Hamza Khan (3-55) and medium-pacer Hammad Ahmed (2-47). 

The match was virtually over when St Paul English School lost four wickets before bringing up 100 of their innings. Mohammad Kashan’s 41 off 50 balls simply reduced the margin of defeat as the result was seldom in doubt with the fall of wickets which made the asking rate beyond the reach of the batting side. 

The Fahad Academy captain, Tauseef Khan, used as many as 10 bowlers, with leg-spinner Adeel Ahmed (2-27) returning the best figures. Their teammate Mohammad Saleem was declared Man of the Match for his blistering knock upfront.

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Hassan’s century powers Beaconhouse School into HBL Inter-Schools final

Pakistan News & Features Services

Hassan Khan’s brilliant century powered Beaconhouse School North Nazimabad to an exciting two-wicket victory over Kamran Public School in the semifinals of the HBL Inter-Schools Cricket Tournament 2014 at the National Stadium, Karachi, on December 1.

Beaconhouse School North Nazimabad’s opponents in the final, to be staged on December 3, will be the winners of the second semifinal, to be contested between Fahad Academy and St Paul ’s School on December 2. 

The tournament is being organized by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA). 

The semifinal between Beaconhouse School North Nazimabad and Kamran Public School turned out to be a very absorbing one with the outcome in doubt until the winning runs were scored. 

Electing to bat, after winning the toss, Kamran Public School lost their last seven wickets for 36 runs to be bowled out for 208 in 38.4 overs. Openers Ammad Alam (32 off 26 balls) and Abdul Moiz (22 off 26 balls) provided them a rollicking start and the 96-run fourth wicket partnership in 22 overs between Hasan Mohsin (71 off 75 balls) and S M Hasnain (52 off 61 balls) consolidated their position. 

It was the trio of left-arm spinners, led by Waleed Hasan (4-21), which derailed their innings. Izaan Waqar (2-36) and Ahmed Salman (2-40) also chipped in with useful wickets to limit the Kamran Public School score. 

Set to score 209 in 40 overs, Beaconhouse School North Nazimabad found itself in disarray at 80 for five before rescued by a punishing 108-run sixth wicket stand off only 67 balls between Hassan Khan and Ammar Iqbal. 

Coming in at number three, Hassan Khan blasted nine sixes and eight fours in his sensational knock of 109 which came off only 49 balls. He was absolutely brilliant in his stroke-play which severely jolted the fielding side. 

The match came alive again after his dismissal when wickets started tumbling again but it was Ammar Iqbal who stood firm and guided Beaconhouse School North Nazimabad to victory. He remained undefeated on 46 off 59 balls as his team won the match with just two wickets in hand. 

Leg-spinners Ammad Alam (3-38) and Hasan Mohsin (3-51) bowled well for Kamran Public School but couldn’t win the day for their side. The Man of the Match award was clinched by Hassan Khan of Beaconhouse School North Nazimabad for his whirlwind century. 

The presentation was made by the chief guest, Dr Razi Azmat, Head Human Resource, HBL, while Fawad Ijaz Khan, Chairman PVCA, Nadeem Omar, Abdul Raquib, Alamgir Ahmed and Amjad Islam were also present on the occasion.

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HBL Inter-Schools semifinals, final to be telecast live

Pakistan News & Features Services

Both the semifinals as well as the final of the HBL Inter-Schools Cricket Tournament 2014, being organized by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA), will be telecast live. 

Fawad Ijaz Khan, Chairman, PVCA, has announced that the semifinals and the final, to be staged at the National Stadium, Karachi, next week, will be beamed live by the Pakistan Television (PTV). 

“The first semifinal, to be played between Kamran Public School and Beaconhouse School North Nazimabad, on December 1 will be telecast live on PTV National while the second semifinal, to be contested between Fahad Academy and St Paul’s School on December 2, will be shown live on PTV Sports. The final, to be held on December 3, will be telecast live on PTV National,” the PVCA Chairman revealed. 

He further disclosed that Shaharyar Khan, Chairman, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), will be the guest of honour while Nouman K Dar, President HBL, will be the chief guest in the prize distribution the ceremony to be held soon after the conclusion of the final. 

Like all the previous matches, the semifinals and the finals will be 40 overs-a-side contests, and will be getting underway at 10 am. 

A total of 32 teams, including a couple of outfits selected by HBL on the basis of open trials, entered the tournament which was inaugurated by Shahid Afridi, Pakistan T20 skipper, in a colourful ceremony at the Karachi Gymkhana Cricket Ground on September 18. 

Shahid Afridi and Younis Khan, both proud products of HBL, had mingled with the players and officials of the participating teams while giving them motivational talks in which they emphasized on the importance of discipline in the game.  It’s for the seventh time when the PVCA has organized an Inter-Schools tournament in Karachi.

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Jalaluddin pledges for lifetime affair with cricket

By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Boosted by the glowing tributes showered upon him, Jalaluddin, a former Test fast bowler, has pledged to continue working for the cause of the game until his last breath. 

During his brief address in the launching ceremony of ‘2015: Jalaluddin’s Tribute Year’ here at the Karachi Gymkhana Banquet Hall on November 27, the highest qualified coach of the country vowed to have a lifetime attachment with the sport which has earned him fame and recognition. 

Pakistan Customs has ventured to pay tribute to Jalaluddin in a befitting manner in view of his overwhelming contribution to the game of cricket. A grand gala dinner in his honour will be organized at a five-star hotel while an exhibition T-20 match between Pakistan Stars-XI and Pakistan Customs-XI, dedicated to him, will be staged at National Stadium, Karachi. 

Some other side events like the launching of a book on the history of Pakistan Customs cricket and conducting a seminar on cricket coaching are also planned to be a part of the programme to be held in January-February 2015. 

“I feel really touched and overwhelmed lavished by our departmental chiefs. I could not have made it where I am today without their unstinted support. They have been very considerate and accommodating towards the cause of sports in general and cricket in particular. Now it’s my duty to reciprocate by devoting the rest of my life in serving the interests of cricket as well as our department,” Jalaluddin, the founder chief coach of the Customs Cricket Academy (CCA), observed in an emotional tone. 

He was responding to the compliments passed by Nazim Saleem, Chief Collector Enforcement, South, Nasir Masroor, Chief Collector Appraisement South, and Khalil Masood, Ex-member Customs and former Chairman, Corporate Law Authority. 

“We have decided to celebrate 2015 as the tribute year to Jalaluddin, in recognition of his outstanding services as a player, a coach and as an administrator. He thoroughly deserves this honour. In fact we are late in doing it. Our department should have done it a few years ago,” Nazim Saleem reckoned. 

“Having played a phenomenal role in the grooming of talented youngsters from all over the country at the state-of-the-art Customs Cricket Academy in Karachi, which he has been running for the last 15 years, he has contributed overwhelmingly to be acknowledged in a befitting manner,” the Chief Collector Enforcement stated. 

“Everyone at Pakistan Customs feels proud of his accomplishments, single-mindedness and consistency of purpose. That’s why his departmental colleagues are excited about turning his benefit year’s events into a resounding success,” Nasir Masroor, Chief Collector Appraisement, remarked. 

“Our collectorate has been looking after the cricket affairs at the Pakistan Customs and it’s mainly due to Jalaluddin’s efforts that we have gone from strength to strength over the years. He has played an awesome role in developing talent from the grassroots level. He has made the department proud with his accomplishments,” he complimented. 

Khalil Masood, Ex-member Customs, recalled that day about three decades ago when he had appointed Jalaluddin at the Pakistan Customs on the basis of his cricketing abilities. 

“It looks like ages ago when Jalaluddin was struggling to find a job. It was our good fortune that we offered him the employment which he gladly accepted. Since then he has proved a great asset for the department as well as the country. He has been doing a great service to the game by coaching the youngsters and turning them into professional cricketers,” the former Customs Collector said. 

Prominent among those present on the occasion were Prof Siraj-ul-Islam Bokhari, former President, Karachi City Cricket Association (KCCA), Fawad Ijaz Khan, Chairman, Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA) and Nadeem Omar, Managing Director, Omar Associates.

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Nadeem Omar’s brilliant knock in vain as Omar Associates go down fighting

Pakistan News & Features Services

Nadeem Omar played a brilliant innings but it was not enough in the end as Omar Associates went down fighting by 22 runs in their encounter against Karachi Gymkhana here at the Karachi Gymkhana Cricket Ground on November 16. The match was organized by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA).

Nadeem Omar made a brilliant 68 off 64 balls to provide Omar Associates a strong platform to win the match. He was adjudged Man of the Match even though his team was unable to press home the advantage. 

Batting first, Karachi Gymkhana scored 191 for five in 22 overs. Saleem Parekh was the topscorer with 50 off 48 balls, hitting six fours while Tayyab Yousuf remained undefeated on 38 off 32 balls with the help of four boundaries. Leg-spinner Sajid Ansari (2-30) was the pick of the Omar Associates bowlers. 

Chasing a target of 192 in 22 overs, Omar Associates got off to a flying start through the opening pair of Nadeem Omar and Fawad Ijaz Khan, both of whom scored briskly. Fawad Ijaz was dismissed after scoring 48 off 44 balls, smashing five fours, while Nadeem Omar went on to score 68 off 64 balls with the aid of three boundaries. 

The asking rate could not be maintained in the final phase of the innings and Omar Associates was restricted to 169 for four in 22 overs. Off-spinner Akhtar Munir and left-arm spinner Jaffer Qureshi picked up a couple of wickets each for Karachi Gymkhana. 

The presentation ceremony was held soon after the conclusion of the match in which chief guest Muzaffar Alam presented Man of the Match award to Nadeem Omar while Saleem Parekh and Akhtar Munir were declared best batman and best bowler respectively.

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Beaconhouse North Nazimabad, St Paul sneak into HBL Inter-Schools Cricket semifinals

Pakistan News & Features Services

Beaconhouse School North Nazimabad and St Paul High School sneaked into the semifinals of the HBL Inter-Schools Cricket Tournament 2014, being organized by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA), by edging out their respective rivals in the quarter-finals.  

Beaconhouse School North Nazimabad outwitted HBL Schoolboys Whites by nine runs at the TMC Ground while St Paul High School recorded a narrow two-wicket victory over Beaconhouse School PECHS at the KCCA Stadium. 

Batting first, after winning the toss, Beaconhouse School North Nazimabad overcome a shaky start to finish with a decent total 185 for seven in the allotted 40 overs. Then they bowled out HBL Schoolboys Whites for 176 on the final ball of the innings to win the keenly contested encounter. 

Opener Izan Khan held the Beaconhouse School North Nazimabad innings together with a solid 47 off 93 balls. He added 80 for the fifth wicket with Muaz Bin Salman, who remained undefeated on 54 off 79 balls. Medium-pacer Sohail Khan (2-48) and leg-spinner Ashraf Khan (2-49) were the successful bowlers for HBL Schoolboys Whites. 

Beaconhouse School North Nazimabad fought back through the spin trio of Waleed Hasan (2-25), Ahmed Salman (2-27) and Hasan Khan (2-30) after HBL Schoolboys Whites was put in the driving seat by their top-order batsmen Waleed Khan (54 off 73 balls), Wajid Nasir (35 off 35 balls) and Owais Butt (28 off 47 balls). Muaz Bin Salman of Beaconhouse School North Nazimabad, who also picked up a wicket in his five-over spell of leg-spin besides scoring an unbeaten half century, was declared Man of the Match. 

The other quarter-final, featuring St Paul High School and Beaconhouse School PECHS, also went to the wire. Beaconhouse School PECHS was bowled out for 175 in 35 overs and St Paul High School lost eight wickets before finally reaching the target in the penultimate over. 

Leg-spinner Fahad Irfan (4-27), assisted by left-arm spinner Hamza Khan (2-10) and medium-pacer Mohammad Hasnain (2-22), wrecked the Beaconhouse School PECHS innings after enterprising knocks from Huzaifa Ahmed (44 off 45 balls) and Hammad Khan (28 off 27 balls) in the early overs. 

Chasing a target of 176 in 40 overs, St Paul High School lost wickets at regular intervals to be reduced to 111 for six despite Umar Abdullah’s 45 off 102 balls. With off-spinner Mazahir Walji (3-25) delivering an outstanding spell, Beaconhouse School PECHS sensed victory when they claimed eighth wicket. 

It was Mohammad Kashan’s brilliant unbeaten knock, under pressure, turned the tide decisively in favour of St Paul High School. He remained undefeated on 36 off 40 balls as the winning runs came with only eight deliveries to spare.

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Fahad Academy, Kamran Public cruise into HBL Inter-Schools Cricket semifinals

Pakistan News & Features Services

Fahad Academy and Kamran Public School cruised into the semifinals of the HBL Inter-Schools Cricket Tournament 2014, being organized by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA), by taming their respective rivals in the quarter-finals.

Fahad Academy defeated HBL Schoolboys Greens by 71 runs at the Karachi Gymkhana Cricket Ground while Kamran Public School overwhelmed Khan Secondary School by seven wickets at the TMC Ground. 

Electing to bat first, after calling correctly, Fahad Academy posted a total of 229 for nine in the allotted 40 overs. Then they bowled out their opponents for 158 in 36.5 overs to win the match comprehensively. 

The 63-run brisk opening stand between Babar Hussain (56 off 46 balls) and Mohammad Saleem (29 off 27 balls) put Fahad Academy in commanding position but HBL Schoolboys Greens fought back through off-spinner Mohammad Yousuf, who grabbed five wickets for 40 runs. 

Zafar Mandani and Tauseef Khan revived Fahad Academy with useful knocks. Zafar remained undefeated on 56 off 59 balls after Tauseef was dismissed for 43 off 59 balls. They allowed their team to reach a fighting score of 229. 

Set to score 230 in 40 overs, HBL Schoolboys Greens lost three early wickets. The 61-run fourth wicket stand between opener Syed Amin (36 off 63 balls) and Nadir Awan (42 off 48 balls) brought them back into contention but another collapse saw them lose their last seven wickets for 48 runs. 

Left-arm spinner Arsalan Shah (3-41) was the pick of the Fahad Academy bowlers but his teammate Zafar Mandani was adjudged Man of the Match for his unbeaten half century. 

In the other quarter-final, Khan Secondary School, who batted first after winning the toss, was spun out for 125 in 32.5 overs by Kamran Public School who raced to the target of 126 in just 12.2 overs. 

The spin trio of Mohammad Bin Junaid (4-21), Ubaidullah (2-12) and Ammad Alam (2-31) sent Khan Secondary School tumbling to a low score with only Faizan Shaikh (27 off 36 balls) and Hasan Bashir (20 off 35 balls) offering some resistance. 

Set a modest target of 126 in 40 overs, Kamran Public School went after the bowling from the start of their innings. The tone was set by the skipper himself as Ammad Alam, who opened the innings, hammered 22 off 11 balls. 

The momentum was sustained by number three Hasan Mohsin who smashed 11 boundaries in his whirlwind 60 off 37 balls. S M Hasnain remained undefeated on 27 off 20 balls with the help of four boundaries as the winning runs came in only the 13th over. The Man of the Match award, however, was picked up by off-spinner Mohammad Bin Junaid for his four-wicket haul.

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Saad-ul-Haq: Shane Warne in the making?

By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

As they say one should aim high. Saad-ul-Haq is only 11 years old and imagining him to become a leg-spinning wizard in future may look too ambitious at this stage but you never know.

This Florida-born lad has cricket in blood. His father, Naeem-ul-Haq, played first-class cricket in Pakistan. His uncle, Anwar-ul-Haq, who was a prolific opening batsman, came very close to representing Pakistan at the international level. 

Not surprisingly Saad has had the passion for cricket since childhood even though he has been brought up in the United States of America (USA) where the sport doesn’t enjoy the kind of popularity it has in Pakistan. 

Saad, a natural leg-spinner, who turns the ball quite a bit, seems to be having a burning desire to succeed in cricket.

In order to fulfill his dream into reality he is a regular visitor to the Florida Cricket Academy over the weekends when the enthusiastic learners are provided the much-needed lessons by qualified coaches.

He was barely four years old when Shane Warne, the legendary Australian leg-spinner, had decided to his hang boots but he heard and read so many stories about the champion which fascinated him endlessly. 

Well Warnie was quite a character and we many never witness another version of Shane Warne ever but there’s always an incentive to model yourself on his lines because even if you achieve even a few of his traits you could still be making big. 

Naeem-ul-Haq, who is a qualified coach, believes that his son has the potential to grow and he can blossom into a real good spin bowler in future. 

With the Florida Cricket Academy planning a tour of Pakistan early next year, it would be interesting to see if Saad also accompanies the squad.

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HBL Inter-Schools Tournament enters knockout phase

Pakistan News & Features Services

Upon the conclusion of 48 league matches, the knockout stage of the HBL Inter-Schools Cricket Tournament 2014, being organized by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA), will now be getting underway on November 12. 

Kamran Public School, Khan Secondary School, HBL Schoolboys Greens, Fahad Academy, Beaconhouse School North Nazimabad, HBL Schoolboys Whites, St Paul High School and Beaconhouse School PECHS are the eight outfits, among the 32 contestants, to have qualified for the knockout stage of the competition starting with the quarter-finals. 

According to the schedule, announced by the PVCA, a couple of quarter-finals will be held on November 12 in which Kamran Public School will confront Khan Secondary School at the TMC Ground and HBL Schoolboys Greens will be pitted against Fahad Academy at the Karachi Gymkhana Cricket Ground. 

In the other two quarter-finals, due to take place on November 13, Beaconhouse School North Nazimabad will lock horns with HBL Schoolboys Whites at the TMC Ground while St Paul High School will clash with Beaconhouse School PECHS at the KCCA Stadium. 

The winners of the Kamran Public School-Khan Secondary School tie will combat the winners of the Beaconhouse School North Nazimabad-HBL Schoolboys Whites encounter in the first semifinal to be staged at the National Stadium on December 1. 

The other semifinal, to be held also at the National Stadium, the following day, will be between the winners of HBL Schoolboys Greens-Fahad Academy and St Paul High School-Beaconhouse School PECHS quarter-finals. The curtain will fall on the tournament with the final, scheduled to be held at the National Stadium, on December 3.

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Ashraf Khan spins HBL Schoolboys Whites into Inter-School Cricket quarters

Pakistan News & Features Services

Leg-spinner Ashraf Khan, with the magical figures of five for nine off eight overs, powered HBL Schoolboys Whites to an emphatic seven-wicket victory over Foundation Public School in the last league fixture of the HBL Inter-School Cricket Tournament 2014 at the Hill Park Ground in Karachi. 

By virtue of their resounding victory, HBL Schoolboys Whites also cruised in the quarter-finals of the tournament, being organized by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA). 

Batting first, after winning the toss, Foundation Public School had weathered the early storm but their batting fell apart with the introduction of the spinners. They lost their last nine wickets for only 63 runs to be bowled out for 103 in 37.4 overs. Shafiq Khan (23 off 56 balls), Saifullah (21 off 39 balls) and Osama Khan (15 off 29) were the only three batsmen to enter double figures. 

The leg-spin of Ashraf Khan proved too hot to handle for him as he mesmerized them in this eight-over spell. Five of his overs were maidens and he picked up five wickets for only nine runs. The other three spinners, Anas Ilyas (2-13), Emman Ahmed (1-19) and Ibad Shah (1-26) also proved very economical, conceding only 58 runs in 20.4 overs which they bowled themselves. 

HBL Schoolboys Whites needed only 11.4 overs to reach the modest target of 104, losing three wickets in the bargain. The victory charge was led by Wajid Nasir who hammered two sixes and five fours in his unbeaten 38 off 17 balls. 

Anas Ilyas was comparatively sedate, scoring 34 off 30 balls with the help of seven boundaries. The Man of the Match award, however, was clinched by their teammate Ashraf Khan for his five-wicket haul.

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Florida Cricket Academy eager to tour Pakistan: Naeem-ul-Haq

By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Florida Cricket Academy (FCA) has planned to undertake a tour of Pakistan early next year and the squad will comprise of the youngsters of the United States of America (USA) residing in the south eastern region.

This was disclosed by Naeem-ul-Haq, a former cricketer from Karachi having relocated in the USA where he is the Head Coach of the Fort Lauderdale-based FCA, in an interview at the residence of his brother, Anwar-ul-Haq, also a famous opening batsman. 

Currently on a brief visit to his home city, Naeem, who represented Pakistan Customs in national tournaments in the 1980s, revealed that the FCA was working on its planned one-week tour of Karachi during which its trainees, coming from the states of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, will be playing three matches against three top local academies during the months of January or February next. 

“We have already negotiated with the Customs Cricket Academy who will be playing one of the matches against the FCA. Now we are talking to the Rashid Latif Cricket Academy and the Moin Khan Cricket Academy and positive results are expected,” he reckoned. 

“The FCA tour will be taking place with the blessings and support of the United States of America Cricket Association (USACA) and we don’t foresee any problems in bringing our cricketers to this part of the world,” he stated.

Having served a coach of the South East of the USACA, Naeem revealed that the FCA squad, to be in the age group of 16 to 19 years, will be featuring cricketers having relocated there from different Test playing nations across the globe. 

“It’s an incredible mix of youngsters having backgrounds from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and the West Indies who receive training at the FCA. There are a few native Americans too,” he added. 

“Mostly we have the training sessions over the weekends. Many youngsters are very enthusiastic about the game of cricket in the South East region although it’s not the number one sport there,” Naeem remarked. 

“A brief tour of Pakistan will do their confidence a world of good. They will learn a lot of new things by playing against the top academies of Karachi and they will go back as improved cricketers,” he felt. 

“Cricket can flourish in USA if more work was done to promote the game at schools, colleges and universities. It has a potential to succeed but hard work is needed besides deep pockets,” Naeem, who alongwith Raza Jaffri, was instrumental in setting up the Florida Cricket Academy in Fort Lauderdale about a decade ago, opined. 

Such initiatives are indeed vital in the promotion of cricket in the USA and it’s upto the authorities there to inspire the community leaders to play their role more proactively in developing this particular sport.

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Three more matches decided in HBL Inter-Schools Cricket

Pakistan News & Features Services

HBL Schoolboys Greens, St Paul High School and Aga Khan Higher Secondary School recorded victories over their respective rivals in the latest round of league matches of the HBL Inter-Schools Cricket Tournament 2014, being organized by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA). 

HBL Schoolboys Greens outwitted New Oxford Grammar School by five wickets in their Group H encounter at the KCCA Stadium, St Paul High School overpowered Karachi Public School by 88 runs in their Group F clash at the Hussain Lawai Naya Nazimabad Stadium and Aga Khan Higher Secondary School defeated Azeem Academy by 35 runs in their Group C fixture at the TMC Ground. 

Batting first, New Oxford Grammar School was all out for 174 in 39.5 overs with Mohammad Ahsan (41 off 53 balls), Chand Ahmed (29 off 27 balls) and Umair Ibrahim (20 off 37 balls) contributing substantially as the innings was kept in check by the spin duo of Mohammad Yousuf (2-20) and Syed Amin (2-30). 

HBL Schoolboys Greens lost their top three batsmen for only 35 runs while chasing a target of 175 in 40 overs. The 64-run fourth wicket stand between Aamir Malik (33 off 48 balls) and Nadir Awan (33 off 45 balls) revived them and the job was completed by the duo of Taufiq Ahmed (38 off 37 balls) and Yawar Imam (29 off 33 balls) who added 70 for their unbroken sixth wicket partnership as the winning runs came with 4.2 overs to spare. Taufiq Ahmed was adjudged Man of the Match. 

St Paul High School got off to a flyer with the 114-run opening stand between Fahad Irfan (64 off 48 balls) and Noman Ahmed (34 off 49 balls). They managed to score 190 in 34.5 overs despite suffering a massive collapse brought about by the spin trio of Ahmed Farooq (4-35), Jibran Hasan (2-18) and Ali Tirmizi (2-34). 

Karachi Public School, in reply, was bowled out for 102 in 27.1 overs with only Sameer Shaikh (44 off 70 balls) offering resistance as the innings was rocked by medium-pacers Hammad Ahmed (4-15) and Hamza Ali (2-25) while Fawad Irfan, with his leg-spin, also chipped in with a couple of cheap wickets. He was named Man of the Match for his fine all-round performance. 

Aga Khan Higher Secondary School was boosted by 53 extras which raised their total to 195. Shakir Ali (40 off 48 balls) made the highest contribution among the batsmen after openers Hasan Ashraf (32 off 47 balls) and Ali Ahmed (21 off 28 balls) had kickstarted the innings by putting on 81 runs for the first wicket. 

Medium-pacer Daniyal Pervez (3-23) and off-spinner Hamza Ashraf (3-42) pulled it back but the leakage of sundries didn’t help their cause. Azeem Academy was also gifted 40 extras in their innings but they lost their last nine wickets for only 47 runs to be bowled out for 160 in 30.4 overs. They were tormented by off-spinner Omar Shahid, who claimed five wickets for 31 runs.

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Spinners dominate in HBL Inter-Schools Cricket

Pakistan News & Features Services

The spinners dominated the latest round of league matches in the HBL Inter-Schools Cricket Tournament 2014, being organized by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA). 

The spin duo of Farman Sadiq and Mohammad Shahzad powered Behbud Secondary School to a crushing eight-wicket victory over Ladybird Grammar School in their Group A encounter at the TMC Ground while leg-spinner Umair Arshad’s six-wicket haul helped Habib Public School to edge out Army Public School by three wickets in a low-scoring Group B fixture at the KCCA Stadium. 

Ladybird Grammar School, who elected to bat after winning the toss against Behbud Secondary School, collapsed dramatically after a solid 42-run opening stand provided by Mohammad Kamal and Waleed Farooqui. 

The introduction of spin created a sensation as they lost all their 10 wickets for only 21 runs to be bowled out for 63 in 19.2 overs. Off-spinner Farman Sadiq rocked them with the figures of five for 10 while left-arm spinner Mohammad Shahzad grabbed four wickets for 16 runs. 

Farman Sadiq followed his five-for with 18 off as many balls to be adjudged Man of the Match as Behbud Secondary School needed only eight overs to reach the modest target of 64. Mohammad Arif smashed four boundaries in his unbeaten 22 off 17 balls. 

The other game, featuring Habib Public School and Army Public School, was a keenly contested one and the outcome remained in doubt until the very end. Batting first, Army Public School was indebted to opener Arsalan Khan (42 off 47 balls) to have taken them to a total of 112 despite the brilliant bowling from leg-spinner Umair Arshad (6-23) after medium-pacers Mohammad Faraz (2-8) and Ahmed Kabir (2-22) had devastated the top-order. 

Needing 113 in 40 overs, Habib Public School found themselves reeling at 79 for seven despite Ahmed Kabir’s 23 off 24 balls. 

The Army Public School bowlers, particularly medium-pacer Abdul Rahman (2-33), did well to keep the contest alive while defending a small total. Army Public School also sensed a possible win as they needed the last three wickets with their opponents requiring 34 runs. 

Zubair Aslam (22 off 26 balls) and Mohammad Faraz (12 off 17 balls), however added 34 priceless runs for their unbroken eighth wicket stand to take Habib Public School to victory with nearly 10 overs to spare. The Man of the Match award was clinched by their teammate Umair Arshad for his six wickets.

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GBSS School Metroville SITE, New Standard Grammar School register victories in HBL Inter-Schools Cricket

Pakistan News & Features Services

Government Boys Secondary School Metroville SITE and New Standard Grammar School registered victories over their respective rivals in the latest matches of the HBL Inter-School Cricket Tournament 2014, being organized by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA). 

GBSS School Metroville SITE crushed Qamar-e-Bani Hashim School by 225 runs in their Group G encounter at the KCCA Stadium while New Standard Grammar School defeated Zeeeshan Secondary School by four wickets in their Group D fixture at the TMC Ground. 

Batting first, after winning the toss, GBSS School Metroville SITE posted a mammoth total of 341 in 39.4 overs with opener Abdul Ghani Subhan (90 off 65 balls), Rafiullah (74 off 51 balls) and Tahir Marwat (64 off 45 balls) scoring at a brisk pace. 

The score could have been even taller if medium-pacer Mohammad Mustafa (3-53) and off-spinner Shan Abbas (3-60) didn’t pick wickets regularly. Their consolation was bowling their opponents out inside 40 overs. 

Set a demanding target of 342, Qamar-e-Bani Hashim School crumbled under the scoreboard pressure to be bowled out for 118 in 24.5 overs. Azfar Hasan (46 off 35 balls) was the only batsman to come to terms with spin trio of Mudassar Abbas (3-27), Shoaib Roz (2-7) and Abdul Ghani Subhan (2-49). Abdul Ghani Subhan of GBSS School Metroville SITE was ajudged Man of the Match for his fine all-round performance.

In the day’s other match, Zeeeshan Secondary School was routed for 138 in 36.2 overs by New Standard Grammar School. Mr Extras turned out to be the topscorer with 34 while opener Mohammad Ali (28 off 44 balls) and Mirza Burhan Baig (24 off 55 balls) were the only ones to get some sort of a start. 

Leg-spinner Abdul Mannan, who was declared Man of the Match, wrecked the innings with the impressive figures of four for 26 off eight overs while medium-pacer Nabeel Khan captured three wickets for 17 runs, also off eight overs. 

Zeeeshan Secondary School fought back through medium-pacer Mohammad Asim, who picked up four wickets for 18 runs in four overs. The match became wide open when New Standard Grammar School was reduced to 52 for four. 

Their recovery was led by Ata-ur-Rahman who made a breezy 41 off 36 balls with the help of one six and five fours. Nabeel Khan’s unbeaten 28 off 35 balls took New Standard Grammar School to the target of 139 in 19.3 overs. Osama Khan was the other not out batsman with 13 off five balls.

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Fahad Academy advance into HBL Inter-Schools cricket quarter-finals

Pakistan News & Features Services

Fahad Academy advanced to the quarter-finals of the HBL Inter-School Cricket Tournament 2014, being organized by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA), by edging out Qadri Model School by three wickets in their Group D fixture at the KCCA Stadium. 

In another match, Beaconhouse School PECHS trounced Fatimiyah Boys School by eight wickets at the SKBZ Ground to consolidate their position in the Group B. 

Leg-spinner Adeel Irshad, with a five-wicket haul, played the key role in earning third successive win for Fahad Academy who also emerged as the Group D champions. He was adjudged Man of the Match. 

Electing to bat, after winning the toss, Qadri Model School was bowled out for 167 in 39.1 overs with Umaid Ahmed (44 off 55 balls) being their scorer. Badar Qureshi remained undefeated on 29 off 23 balls while S M Shaheer made 20 off 29 balls. The innings was wrecked by leg-spinner Adeel Irshad (5-31). 

Set to score 168 in 40 overs, Fahad Academy got off to a flying start as openers Babar Huusain (30 off 19 balls) and Mohammad Saleem (24 off 32 balls) put on 61 runs for the first wicket in rapid time. Left-arm Badar Qureshi opened up the game by picking up four wickets in quick succession and it needed fighting knocks from Zahid Madani (33 off 40 balls) and Mohammad Nawab (22 off 23 balls) to take Fahad Academy to the target with just 2.1 overs remaining. 

Beaconhouse School PECHS proved too good for Fatimiyah Boys School to register their second victory in as many outings during the competition. 

Batting first, Fatimiyah Boys School found themselves reeling at 61 for eight. The 67-run ninth wicket partnership between Mohammad Hasnain (29 off 36 balls) and Syed Mustajab (27 off 116 balls) allowed them to reach a total of 128. 

Left-arm spinner Humair Ahmed (4-30), who was the pick of the bowlers, was later declared Man of the Match. He was supported by medium-pacer Zain Khan (2-22) and left-arm spinner Huzaifa Ahmed (2-24). 

Chasing a target of 129 in 40 overs, Beaconhouse School PECHS lost a wicket early but enterprising half centuries from opener Hammad Hasan and number three Rohail Ahmed helped them get it in a matter of only 16 overs. Hammad Hasan perished after scoring 50 off 45 balls with the help of one six and seven but Rohail Ahmed remained undefeated on 53 off 32 balls, whacking three sixes and five fours.

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Beaconhouse School North Nazimabad cruise into HBL Inter-Schools cricket quarter-finals

Pakistan News & Features Services 

Beaconhouse School North Nazimabad cruised into the quarter-finals of the HBL Inter-Schools Cricket Tournament 2014, being organized by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA), by routing Karachi Grammar School by 10 wickets in their Group E encounter at the SKBZ Ground in DHA, Karachi. 

The spin duo of Waleed Hasan and Ahmed Salman played the pivotal role in guiding Beaconhouse School North Nazimabad to their third successive triumph in the competition which made them the group champions. 

It was a do-or-die battle for both the teams as they had won their previous two matches and the winners of the contest was to proceed in the knockout phase. Karachi Grammar School could not build any momentum to be outplayed by the heaviest of margins. 

Beaconhouse School North Nazimabad’s left-arm spinner Waleed Ahmed, adjudged Man of the Match, returned the exceptional figures of five for five off seven overs while off-spinner Ahmed Salman also finished with the impressive return of four for 11 off eight overs. 

Karachi Grammar School lost their way completely with the introduction of spin as they collapsed from 35 for no loss to 54 all out in 23 overs, with all 10 wickets falling with the addition of only 19 runs. Opener Zair Riaz scored 22 off 38 balls, hitting the only two boundaries of the innings. 

Beaconhouse School North Nazimabad was set an easy target of 55 in 40 overs and they didn’t lose any wicket in achieving their objective. The victory charge was led by Ammar Iqbal who blasted an unbeaten 40 off 17 balls with the help of three sixes and four fours. His opening partner Ahmed Imam kept his company until the end, scoring an unbeaten 13 off as many balls with the target of 55 being achieved in just 5.1 overs.

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Fahim School System, Beaconhouse School PECHS triumph in HBL Inter-Schools cricket

Pakistan News & Features Services

Fahim School System and Beaconhouse School PECHS recorded victories in the HBL Inter-Schools Cricket Tournament 2014, being organized by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA). 

In the latest league matches of the tournament, Fahim School System outsmarted Qamar-e-Bani Hashim School by 58 runs and Beaconhouse School PECHS registered 67-run victory over Army Public School. 

Beaconhouse School PECHS showed excellent form while beating Army Public School by 67 runs at the KCCA Stadium in their Group B fixture. 

Middle-order batsman Faraz Khan clinched the Man of the Match award for his fluent 72 off 52 balls which enabled Beaconhouse School PECHS to post a commanding total of 234 for eight in the allotted 40 overs. Rohail Ahmed (58 off 78 balls) and Hammad Hasan (35 off 33 balls) also contributed substantially. 

Army Public School folded to 165 all out in 28.5 overs despite the brilliance of opener Zeeshan Mujahid who struck four sixes and six fours in his 76 off 69 balls. The innings was rocked by the spin trio of Humair Hameed (5-28), Taha Arsalan (2-11) and Huzaiafa Ahmed (2-42). 

Ahmed Javed’s splendid all-round performance earned Fahim School System 58-run triumph over Qamar-e-Bani Hashim School in their Group G clash at the Hussain Lawai Naya Nazimabad. 

Man of the Match Ahmed Javed topscored with 43 off 46 balls as Fahim School System was bowled out for 207 in 34 overs with off-spinner Ibrahim Hasan claiming four wickets for 40 runs. 

Chasing a target of 208 in 40 overs, Qamar-e-Bani Hashim School was routed for 149 in 26 overs after medium-pacer Ahmed Javed demolished their top-order with a four-wicket haul.

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Ahmed Alam blasts first century in HBL Inter-Schools cricket

Pakistan News & Features Services

Ahmed Alam of Kamran Public School earned the distinction of scoring the first century in the HBL Inter-Schools Cricket Tournament 2014, being organized by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA). 

In the latest league matches of the tournament, being contested by 32 outfits,Kamran Public School defeated Falconhouse Grammar School by nine wickets and HBL Schoolboys Greens overpowered Metropolitan Academy by seven wickets. 

Leg-spinner Tariq Butt and opener Ahmed Alam came up with standout performance to power Kamran Public School to an emphatic nine-wicket win over Falconhouse Grammar School in their Group C encounter at the KCCA Stadium. 

Tariq Butt, adjudged Man of the Match, grabbed six wickets for only 27 runs to send Falconhouse Grammar School tumbling to 137 all out in 35.5 overs after an enterprising 45-run opening partnership between Zain Haider (33 off 32 balls) and Abdullah (19 off 22 balls). 

Ahmed Alam made a mockery of the modest target of 138 by blasting the first century of the tournament. He smashed four sixes and 15 fours in his unbeaten 104 off 60 balls as Kamran Public School romped home with nearly 27 overs to spare. 

HBL Schoolboys Greens consolidated their position in the Group H by whipping Metropolitan Academy by seven wickets at the TMC Ground. 

Put into bat, Metropolitan Academy was contained to 134 for nine in 40 overs despite fine knocks from Habibullah (51 off 79 balls), Abdul Rahman (24 off 30 balls) and Yasoob Ahmed (20 off 37 balls). Leg-spinner Aurangzeb Khan (2-10) and off-spinner Nadir Khan (2-24) turned out to be the most successful bowler in their innings. 

HBL Schoolboys Greens got off to a flying start through openers Syed Amin (33 off 44 balls) and Mohammad Usman (26 off 24 balls) and the momentum was sustained by Imran Shan who whacked three sixes and as many fours in his unbeaten 37 off 20 balls, allowing his team to reach the target of 135 in only 18.2 overs. Syed Amin, who had also picked up a wicket, was declared Man of the Match.

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Khan Secondary School enter HBL Inter-Schools cricket quarter-finals

Pakistan News & Features Services

Khan Secondary School became the first team to reach the quarter-finals of the HBL Inter-Schools Cricket Tournament 2014, being organized by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA). 

Khan Secondary School emerged the Group G champions by having recorded their third straight win when they defeated GBSS SITE Metroville by three wickets at the Hussain Lawai Naya Nazimabad Stadium. In another match, New Oxford Grammar School overwhelmed City School North Nazimabad by nine wickets in their Group H fixture at the same venue. 

Medium-pacer Mohammad Nabil (3-26) and off-spinner Talal Bin Zafar (3-34) sent GBSS SITE Metroville crashing to 158 all out on the final ball of the innings despite fighting knocks from Shoaib Rose (52 off 70 balls) and Tahir Marwat (41 off 66 balls). 

Set to score 159 in 40 overs, Khan Secondary School found themselves in a spot of bother after losing their top four batsmen for only 30 runs. The chase was stabilized by Mohammad Rizwan (61 off 110 balls) and Saif Khan (27 off 30 balls), who added 70 for the fifth wicket. 

The match became wide open again when two wickets went down at the score of 100 and it needed brisk unbeaten knocks from Sajawal Khan (27 off 21 balls) and Faizan Shaikh (26 off 25 balls) to take Khan Secondary School over the line with only 2.4 runs remaining. The Man of the Match award, however, went to Mohammad Rizwan for his disciplined knock. 

In the other game, the New Oxford Grammar School spin duo of Alhan Wasim (5-19) and Israr Ahmed (3-19) routed City School North Nazimabad for a paltry 109 in 30.4 overs with Abdullah Saleem (26 off 49 balls), Maaz Ahmed (24 off 31 balls) and Khawaja Maaz (23 off 29 balls) offering resistance. 

Chasing a modest target of 110 in 40 overs, New Oxford Grammar School got off to a flying start as openers Hasan Masood and Chand Ahmed put on 81 in quick time. Hasan Masood fell after scoring 23 off 32 balls but Chand Ahmed remained undefeated on 51 off 34 balls with the help of eight boundaries. 

New Oxford Grammar School raced to the target in just 12.3 overs with their off-spinner Alhan Wasim picking up the Man of the Match award for his five-wicket haul.

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HBL Greens, Karachi Public School sparkle in HBL Inter-Schools cricket

Pakistan News & Features Services

HBL Schoolboys Greens and Karachi Public School overwhelmed their respective rivals in the league matches of the HBL Inter-School Cricket Tournament 2014, being organized by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA).

HBL Schoolboys Greens blasted City School North Nazimabad by a staggering margin of 272 runs in their Group H encounter at the Hussain Lawai Naya Nazimabad Stadium while Karachi Public School whipped Rangers Public School by nine wickets in their Group F fixture at the KCCA Stadium. 

Put into bat, HBL Schoolboys Greens posted the highest score of the tournament. They became the first team, after 26 matches, to cross the magical figure of 300. They finished with an outstanding score of 347 for six in the allotted 40 overs. 

They went from strength to strength after the flying start provided by openers Syed Ameen (52 off 54 balls) and Mohammad Usman (33 off 35 balls). Number three Aurangzeb Ahmed played the most enterprising knock of the day as he smashed 10 boundaries in his 92 off 71 balls. He was adjudged Man of the Match. 

Tausiq Ahmed’s unbeaten 48 off 23 balls took the score into astronomical proportions while Aamir Malik (25 off 31 balls) and Nadir Awan (32 off 19) also contributed their bit. The total could have been even taller without the effort of medium-pacer Maaz Ahmed (3-44). 

City School North Nazimabad collapsed to 75 all out in 24.4 overs while chasing a huge target of 348 in 40 overs. The HBL Schoolboys Greens spin trio of Syed Ameen (3-5), Nadir Awan (2-8) and Zohaib Masood (2-13) bowled tightly and effectively which didn’t allow any batsman to settle down.

Karachi Public School’s medium-pacer Abdur Rafay returned the exceptional figures of five for 26 to send Rangers Public School crashing to 152 all out in 37.5 overs despite Saad Ansari’s 66 off 89 balls. 

Medium-pacer Furqan Siddiqi (2-34) and leg-spinner Ali Tirmizi (2-39) also chipped in with useful wickets to sustain the pressure as Rangers Public School could not play out its quota of 40 overs. 

The 106-run unbroken second wicket stand between opener Ali Tirmizi (40 off 80 balls) and Sameer Shaikh (67 off 85 balls) enabled Karachi Public School to reach the target of 153 in 30.5 overs with nine wickets in hand. 

The Man of the Match award was given to Abdur Rafay for his five-wicket haul which helped his team in bowling the opponents out for a below-par total on a good batting surface.

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Smashing wins for HBL Whites, Beaconhouse NN in HBL Inter-Schools cricket

Pakistan News & Features Services

HBL Schoolboys Whites and Beaconhouse School North Nazimabad recorded emphatic victories over their respective rivals in the league matches of the HBL Inter-Schools Cricket Tournament 2014, being organized by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA). 

HBL Schoolboys Whites hammered Ladybird Grammar School by nine wickets in their Group A encounter at the KCCA Stadium while Beaconhouse School North Nazimabad overwhelmed St Patrick’s High School by 219 runs in their Group E clash at the TMC Ground. 

The HBL Schoolboys Whites spin trio of Mohammad Zahid (4-27), Naved Ahmed (3-9) and Ashraf Khan (2-26) sent Ladybird Grammar School, who batted first after winning the toss, tumbling to 117 all out in 35.4 overs. 

Ladybird Grammar School crashed after a solid 47-run opening partnership between Waleed Farooqui (23 off 42 balls) and Mohammad Kumail (17 off 40 balls). They lost the plot after the introduction of spin as the last nine wickets fell for only 70 runs. 

Set to score 118 in 40 overs, HBL Schoolboys Whites got off to a spectacular start with opener Waleed Khan hitting three sixes and eight fours in his breezy unbeaten 66 off 38 balls. His opening partner, Owais Butt (19 off 16 balls), was the only batsman to be dismissed as the target was achieved in just 12.4 overs. Off-spinner Mohammad Zahid was declared Man of the Match for his four-wicket haul. 

The other game, between Beaconhouse School North Nazimabad and St Patrick’s High School, also turned out to be a one-sided affair with an incredible margin of 219 runs separating the two sides. 

Beaconhouse School North Nazimabad, who elected to bat after calling correctly, capitalized on the flying start provided by their top-order batsmen to post a formidable total of 247 for eight in the allotted 40 overs. 

Openers Ahmed Imam (68 off 80 balls) and Izaan Waqar (21 off 34 balls) put on 69 for the first wicket and the ante was upped by number three Hasan Khan (38 off 23 balls). They could have built an even bigger total but the damage was controlled in the late overs by the trio of medium-pacer Salman Khan (3-40), leg-spinner Zuhaib Jamal (2-16) and off-spinner Jamal Rizvi (2-42). 

Chasing a mammoth target of 248 in 40 overs, St Patrick’s High School crumbled against off-spinner Shayan Khan (4-4), adjudged Man of the Match, and left-arm spinner Hasan Khan (2-3) to be routed for a paltry 28 in 14.1 overs.

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Beaconhouse PECHS, Khan Secondary School win in HBL Inter-Schools cricket

Pakistan News & Features Services

Beaconhouse School PECHS and Khan Secondary School registered victories over their respective rivals in the league matches of the HBL Inter-Schools Cricket Tournament 2014, being organized by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA). 

Beaconhouse School PECHS overpowered Habib Public School by 55 runs in their Group B encounter at the KCCA Stadium while Khan Secondary School bulldozed Fahims School System by eight wickets in their Group G outing at the Hussain Lawai Naya Nazimabad Stadium. 

Batting first, after winning the toss, Beaconhouse School PECHS was all out for 176 in 36.2 overs. Shahrukh Khan topscored with 50 off 58 balls with the help of six fours while Taha Arsalan (33 off 36 balls) and Faraz Saba (26 off 43 balls) also chipped in with useful contributions. 

Their cause was further helped by 38 extras in the innings, which included 33 wides. Medium-pacer Ahmed Kabir (2-19) dented the top-order while off-spinners Umair Arshad (2-35) and Ahmed Shakeel (2-36) struck vital blows. 

Set to score 177 in 40 overs, Habib Public School didn't recover after losing both the openers for ducks in the very first over of the innings. They lost wickets at regular intervals to be bowled out for 121 in 31 overs. 

Abdullah Ali (21 off 67 balls), Zubair Khan (18 off 34 balls) and Ahmed Kabir (17 off 29 balls) resisted briefly before succumbing to the spin duo of Huzaifa Ahmed (3-18) and Mudassir Godil (3-25). The Man of the Match award, however, was clinched by Shahrukh Khan for scoring the only half-century of the game. 

In the other match, Fahims School System was routed for 108 in 23.5 overs, losing their last nine wickets for only 69 runs. Opener Abdul Hamid (23 off 43 balls) was the only batsman to come to terms with the Khan Secondary School’s spin-cum-pace attack. 

Off-spinner Faizan Shaikh, adjudged Man of the Match, returned the impressive figures of four for 20 off 5.5 overs and he was complemented by medium-pacer Mohammad Nabil (2-23) and leg-spinner Arish Khan (2-25). 

Khan Secondary School raced to the modest target of 109 in a matter of just 11.5 overs, losing only a couple of wickets in the bargain. Opener Arsal Bashir led the victory charge with an unbeaten 55 off 39 balls, smashing a dozen boundaries. His opening partner Faizan Shaikh made 26 off 21 balls.

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Fahad Academy, New Oxford Grammar School triumph in HBL Inter-Schools cricket

Pakistan News & Features Services

Fahad Academy and New Oxford Grammar School recorded emphatic victories over their respective rivals in the league matches of the HBL Inter-Schools Cricket Tournament 2014, being organized by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA). 

Fahad Academy trounced Zeeshan Secondary School by 123 runs in their Group D encounter at the Hussain Lawai Naya Nazimabad Stadium while New Oxford Grammar School whipped Metropolitan Academy by nine wickets in their Group H fixture at the TMC Ground. 

Electing to bat first, after winning the toss, Fahad Academy amassed a huge score of 242 for eight in the allotted 40 overs. The platform was set by opener Babar Hussain (45 off 35 balls) and Farhan Shah (67 off 60 balls), who added 92 for the second wicket. 

The momentum was sustained by middle-order batsmen Adeel Irshan (43 off 52 balls) and Zeeshan Ahmed (33 off 42 balls). They ensured that their team batted out the full quota of 40 overs despite fine bowling from the spin duo of Mirza Burhan (3-52) and Mohammad Javed (2-37). Medium-pacer Mohammad Hasan (2-36) also bowled well. 

Set a daunting target of 243 in 40 overs, Zeeshan Secondary School collapsed against leg-spinners Mohammad Saleem (3-14) and Arsalan Shah (3-13). Off-spinner Zeeshan Ahmed, adjudged Man of the Match, grabbed a couple of wickets for only five runs to send the opponents crashing to 119 all out in 22.5 overs. Mohammad Asim (47 off 35 balls) was the only batsman to offer resistance to the spin challenge. 

In the other match, the decision of Metropolitan Academy to bat first after calling correctly backfired as they tumbled to tumbled to 76 all out in 25 overs with only Abdul Rahman (20 off 42 balls) and Yaqoob Ahmed (11 off 13 balls) entered double figures as the innings was wrecked by the spin duo of Saad Ghauri (3-19) and Israr Ahmed (2-11). 

Set a modest target of 77 in 40 overs, New Oxford Grammar School got over the line in a matter of just 17.3 overs. The victory charge was led by the opening pair of Chand Ahmed and Hasan Masood. Interestingly the opening partnership was finally broken when the scores were level. 

Chand Ahmed, who scored 40 off 50 balls with the help of five fours, was adjudged Man of the Match. Hasan Masood remained undefeated with 23 off 47 balls as the winning runs came with as many as 22.3 overs to spare.

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KGS win low-scoring encounter in HBL Inter-Schools cricket

Pakistan News & Features Services

Karachi Grammar School defeated CAA Model School by 24 runs in what turned out be a low scoring Group E fixture of the HBL Inter-School Cricket Tournament 2014 at the SKBZ Ground in DHA, Karachi. 

The tournament, organized by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA), is being contested by a total of 32 outfits, divided equally in eight groups with the group champions to advance to the quarter-finals upon the conclusion of league matches. 

The bowlers dominated the encounter between Karachi Grammar School and CAA Model School in which a total of 242 runs were scored for the loss of 20 wickets in 52.1 overs. Karachi Grammar School was all out for 133 in 29.2 overs while CAA Model School, chasing a target of 134 in 40 overs, was skittled for 109 in 23.2 overs. 

Ali Rezah of Karachi Grammar School was declared Man of of the Match. Electing to bat, after winning the toss, Karachi Grammar School lost wickets at regular intervals to be bowled out for 133 despite the contribution of as many as 44 extras which included 37 wides. 

Opener Khizar Saquib was the topscorer with 25 off 41 balls while Mikayeel Ali (15 off 36 balls), Aamir Saeeduddin (15 off 22 balls) and Ali Rezah (13 off 27 balls) being the only others to enter double figures. 

CAA Model School’s spearhead Dainyal Nadeem returned the excellent figures of three for eight off 5.5 overs while the pressure was sustained by left-arm spinner Owais Shah (3-24) and leg-spinner Osama Mohsin (2-21). 

In reply, CAA Model School could build any notable partnerships and they were routed in little over 23 overs. They lost the match by 24 runs with nearly 17 overs remaining unutilized.Opener Osama Mohsin was their topscorer with 28 off 42 balls while number 10 Hamza Waraich contributed a breezy 17 off 16 balls down the order to reduce the margin of defeat. 

Medium-pacer Salman Ali (3-29) was the pick of the bowlers for Karachi Grammar School for whom off-spinner Zair Riaz (2-8) and leg-spinner Ali Rezah (2-14) also bowled splendidly to engineer a win for their side.

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