Diamond Club emerge Islamabad Region champs

ISLAMABAD: Diamond Club won the PCB Fazal Mehmood National Cricket Club Championship to become Islamabad Region’s champions here Tuesday.In their last match of the tri-team competition, Diamond defeated Essco Club by seven wickets with off-spinner Arsal Shaikh bowled superbly with a four-wicket haul.

Diamond Club won both the matches in the tri-team contest and emerged champions in the Islamabad Region. Now Diamond Club will participate in the Inter-Region Club Championship under the aegis of PCB in which champion clubs of 16 regions will vie for the national championship.It is recalled that all the clubs from Islamabad’s central, east, west and north zones besides Gilgit-Baltistan participated in this PCB-organised championship in four tiers.

Batting first, Essco Club bundled out for paltry 116 with Arsal Shaikh claiming four wickets for 33 runs while Young speedster Muhammad Arham took 3-34. Only Ali Salman resisted against quality bowling for his 32 runs innings.

Helped by opener Zohaib Qureshi’s 51 not out, Diamond achieved the target in just 14.2 overs. Qureshi hit five fours and three sixes. Muhammad Umair smashed 22-ball 31 and Ali Nadim scored 20 runs. Essco’s Ali Salman took two for 18 runs.

President Diamond Club Zubair Shaikh congratulated skipper Zohaib Ahmed and entire team for their outstanding performance.Chief organiser Diamond Club Moeid Shaikh announced Rs25,000 cash prizes for top performers of the club in the event.

Scores in brief: Essco Club 116 in 26.4 overs (Ali Salman 32, Syed Zeeshan Ali 21, Muhammad Naqash 20; Arsal Shaikh 4-33, Muhammad Raham 3-34, Hamza Nadim 2-16) v Diamond Club 118-3 in 14.2 overs (Zohaib Qureshi 51 not out, Muhammad Imair 31, Ali Nadim 20; Ali Salman 2-16).