Omar Associates outsmart Karachi Gymkhana Blues

KARACHI: The Karachi Gymkhana Ramazan Festival Cricket Tournament returned after a gap of three years as its 37th edition got underway here at the KG Cricket Ground on Thursday with Omar Associates outsmarting Karachi Gymkhana Blues by 52 runs in the opening game.

The club’s President Akbar Iqbal Puri formally inaugurated the tournament to signal the return of the festival.

Unlike the previous editions in which 16 teams used to compete, a total of 10 teams, divided equally in two groups, have entered the tournament to be played on round robin league basis.

At the end of the preliminary round of matches, the top two teams of both groups will be qualifying for the semifinals.

Karachi Gymkhana Whites, Denim Craft, Total Energy, Factdate Engineering and IMI Omar are the five contestants in the Group A. The Group B comprises Karachi Gymkhana Blues, Omar Associates, Southend Club, Umar Enterprises and KGA Club.

The winners of the event will collect a handsome purse of Rs400,000 while the runners-up will receivie Rs200,000. The losing semifinalists will get Rs50,000 each. The total prize money in the three-week competition is Rs845,000.

Off-spinner Haris Ayaz, with a haul of four wickets, bowled Omar Associates to a comfortable 52-run victory. He took four wickets for 13 runs in just 2.2 overs as KG Blues were bowled out for 94 in 16.2 overs while chasing a target of 147 in 20 overs. He was adjudged the Man of the Match. Kashif Khan (2-21) and Tahir Khan (2-27) also bowled well for Omar Associates. Adam Essa (31 off 35 balls) top-scored for KG Blues.

Earlier, batting first, Omar Associates scored 146 for seven in 20 overs with Imran Javed (37 off 35 balls), Iqbal Shaikh (27 off 25 balls) and Jaffer Qureshi (23 off 15 balls) being the major contributors.