Mubashir’s ton in vain as Al-Fatima School win

KARACHI: Mubashir Nawaz’s rare double of a century and three wickets went in vain as Al-Fatima School edged out The Educator School by one wicket in the nail-biting Group D tie of the Omar Trophy Inter-School Cricket Tournament 2016, being organised by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA), at the KCCA Stadium the other day.

In the day’s other matches, St Patrick High School overwhelmed Behbud Boys Secondary School by 95 runs in the Group G encounter at the Hill Park Ground, while Oasis English School defeated Khan Secondary School by 43 runs in the Group D fixture at the Eastern Star Ground.

It was the contest between Al-Fatima School and The Educator School which produced the most absorbing battle and the best all-round individual performance yet during the competition.

Opener Mubashir stroked 11 boundaries in his superlative knock of 109 off 108 balls to enable The Educator School to post a respectable total of 199.

He fought a lone battle against the Al-Fatima School bowlers as the innings was dented by off-spinners Waqas Ansari (4-42) and Fahad Ali (2-25) besides medium-pacer Kafeel Khan (2-26).

Al-Fatima School got off to a cracking start through the opening pair of Kamal Khan (50 off 50 balls) and Kafeel (28 off 37 balls), who scored 79 in quick time.

It was the leg-spin of Mubashir (3-34) and Zaid Bin Haris (2-29) which brought The Educator School back in the game.

Fierce battle ensued between bat and ball in the final phase. Syed Hunail (36 off 23 balls) boosted the chance of Al-Fatima School and they eventually won by one wicket. Mubashir was declared the Man of the Match.

Opener Mohammad Usman’s brilliant 89 off 88 balls, in which he struck one six and 11 fours, helped St Patrick High School to post an impressive total of 258 for eight in 40 overs against Behbud Boys Secondary School. Useful contributions were made by Basit Kaleem (44 off 26 balls), Sharjeel Ahmed (30 off 16 balls) and Exxon John (30 off 46 balls).  Sharjeel (4-19) and Usman (2-30) also starred with the ball to send Behbud Boys Secondary School tumbling to 163 all out in 30.1 overs. None of the batsmen got past 30. Usman was adjudged the Man of the Match.

Oasis English School were all out for 196 against Khan Secondary School thanks to contributions from Abdullah (31 off 56 balls), Shah Faisal (27 off 30 balls), Adnan Khan (23 off 33 balls) and Shoaib Roz (22 off 33 balls).  Spinners Sher Bahadur (3-31), Wajid Khan (2-24) and Majid Aslam (2-29) bowled well.

Khan Secondary School’s innings couldn’t gain momentum after the openers were removed early by medium-pacer Adnan. The pressure was sustained by left-arm spinner Abdul Mannan (3-24), who was declared the Man of the Match, and off-spinner Shoaib (2-34).

Rashid Khan’s 38 off 34 balls, in which he struck one six and four fours, briefly revived Khan Secondary School’s hopes before they were bowled out for 153 in 36.1 overs.