Pakistan School third time lucky in Abu Dhabi
U-14 triumph against Abu Dhabi Indian School comes after setbacks in U-19 and U-16 finals
Twice beaten in two different age-group finals, Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Pakistan School emerged champions in the UAE Xchange U-14 Abu Dhabi School League. They outclassed Abu Dhabi Indian School (ADIS) by 22 runs at the Abu Dhabi Cricket Council’s Nursery Oval-1 over the weekend.
Pakistan School had earlier gone down to ADIS in the U-19 final and lost to Emirates Future International in the U-16 final.
Their success in the U14 also meant four different schools have won the four age group titles in the tournament, sponsored by UAE Exchange Centre and conducted by the Abu Dhabi Cricket Council. Bright Riders were winners of the U-12 final.
Electing to bat first against ADIS, Pakistan School were given a fine start by Obaid Khan (34) and Atif Khan (16). They added 57 in nine overs for the first wicket before an undefeated 60-run stand for the fifth wicket between Anwar Khan and Mohammad Samir took their total to 142 for four.
Anwar blasted 47 not out off 28 balls, highlighted by four fours and a couple of sixes, one over the long off fence and the other over deep mid-wicket. Samir’s 17-ball 18 not out contained two straight hits over the ropes.
ADIS reply
ADIS, in reply, lost a wicket in the very first over, but recovered through a 39-run partnership for the second wicket between
Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Pakistan School bt Abu Dhabi Indian School by 22 runs.
Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Pakistan School 142 for four in 20 overs (Anwar Khan 47 not out, Obaid Khan 34, Mohammad Samir 18 not out, Nathan D’Mello 2-13) Abu Dhabi Indian School 120 all out in 20 overs (Rohin Bajaj 21, Nathan D’Mello 20, Arthik Bhatt 17, Tanish Nagrani 17, Nabeegh Ahmed 2-9, Noor Khan 2-14, Anwar Khan 2-22, Kashif Khan 2-24).
Nathan D’Mello (20) and Arthik Bhatt (17).
After that partnership ended, ADIS lost wickets at regular intervals to be all out for 120. Rohin Bajaj produced a little cameo in a 11-ball 20 with three fours and a six, but that was only a consolation as Pakistan School had the game firmly under control.
Pakistan School also swept all the individual awards. Anwar won both the Player of the Final and Player of the Tournament trophies while Haji Ur Rehman took the Best Batsman and Noor Khan the Best Bowler awards. ADIS took the Dilawar Mani Spirit of Cricket award.