Jaffer Qureshi’s century makes Omar Associates national senior champions

Pakistan News &; Features Services

Omar Associates, Karachi, won the 16^th PVCA National Seniors Cup tournament by overpowering Golden Eagles, Lahore, by five wickets in the day/night final staged at the EME DHA Cricket Ground in Lahore.

This was the first triumph of Omar Associates in this tournament as they had earlier lost the national final in 2012. The Pakistan Veterans Crickets Association (PVCA) has now successfully organized 16 editions of the National Senior Cup in as many years.

Put into bat, Golden Eagles posted a respectable total of 218 runs for loss of nine wickets in the allotted 30 overs. Former Test batsman Shahid Anwar (48 off 46 balls), Bakhtiar Hussain (36 off 37 balls) and Nadeem Farooqi (30 off 24 balls) were their leading scorers as the wickets were shared between off-spinner Iqbal Shaikh (3-36) and left-arm spinner Jaffar Qureshi (2-48).

Omar Associates batting second under floodlights reached the winning target of 219 runs in 28 overs for the loss of five wickets. Skipper Jaffer Qureshi and former Pakistan opener Sajid Ali put an opening partnership of 82 runs.

Sajid perished after scoring (27 off 27 balls) but the left-handed Jaffer scored a brilliant match-winning hundred. His sensational knock of 118 came from 78 balls and it contained eight towering sixes and as many fours. He was given a standing ovation by the sizeable crowd upon reaching his century.

Nadeem Sheikh scored 40 off 28 balls as Omar Associates romped home comfortably. For Golden Eagles, former Pakistan off-spinner, Sajjid Akbar, took a couple of wickets for 42 runs.

The prize distribution ceremony was held soon after the conclusion of the final. Fawad Ijaz Khan, Chairman, PVCA, and Ashiq Hussain Qureshi, Chief Executive, PVCA informed the gathering about the activities of the association.

Test Cricketer Mohammad Hafeez, who was the chief guest, presented the winners trophy and cash prize of Rs 150,000 to skipper Jaffer Qureshi of Omar Associates while the runners-up trophy and cash award of Rs 75,000 was collected by Mohammad Salman of Golden Eagles. Jaffer Qureshi was also adjudged named Man of the Match in the final.

Nadeem Omar, Managing Director, Omar Associates, announced a bonus of Rs 100,000 for his team on winning the tournament. Among those present in the prize distribution ceremony were Intikhab Alam, former Pakistan captain, and Col (Rtd) Rafi Nasim, ex-Secretary, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).