Asad-ul-Haq powers Springfield School into Omar Trophy Inter-School Cricket semifinals

All-rounder Asad-ul-Haq powered Springfield School into the semifinals of the Omar Trophy Inter-School Cricket Tournament 2016, being organized by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA), as they knocked down the defending champions, Beaconhouse School System, by 46 runs in the quarter-finals at the Naya Nazimabad Lawai Stadium.

The quarter-final round came to an end with this match with Springfield School, Fahad Academy, Qadri Public School and Kamran Public School having advanced to the semifinals, scheduled to be held at the National Stadium, Karachi, next week.

Asad-ul-Haq, declared Man of the Match, produced an impressive all-round effort which enabled Springfield School to overpower the holders, Beaconhouse School System.

Put into bat by the Beaconhouse School System skipper, Ammar Iqbal, Springfield School overcame a shaky start to reach a competitive total of 177, getting bowled out on the final ball of the innings.

The recovery was led by Asad-ul-Haq, whose counter-attacking 40 off 33 balls with the help of eight boundaries shifted the pressure on the bowlers. Mubashir Ahmed (28 off 33 balls), Badar Qureshi (26 off 52 balls) and Syed Ali Nasim (25 off 42 balls) chipped in with useful contributions to keep the scoreboard ticking.

Beaconhouse School System’s left-arm spinner Huzaifa Ali Khan (3-35) and off-spinner Shayan Khan (2-22) prevented the total getting into mammoth proportions while medium-pacer Ahmed Kabir (2-42) had dislodged both the openers cheaply.

Chasing a target of 178 in 40 overs, Beaconhouse School System got a decent start through the opening pair of Haris Bin Tahir and Zeeshan Iqbal, who added 41 for the first wicket in quick time.

Zeeshan Iqbal departed after scoring 24 off 19 balls with the help of one six and four fours but Haris Bin Tahir stayed at the crease much longer, striking one six and six fours in his 60 off 82.

Things, however, started to happen with the introduction of spin, as left-armer Badar Qureshi, after breaking the opening partnership, got another couple of wickets in his eight-over spell, yielding 33 overs. The other left-arm spinner, Asad-ul-Haq, bowled even better, returning the figures of three for 20 off eight overs.

Off-spinner Mubashir Amin and leg-spinner Syed Ali Nasim also chipped in with a wicket each as Beaconhouse School System was bowled out for 131 in 33 overs, losing their last eight wickets for only 28 runs.

Rahman Ghani guides Fahad Academy into Omar Trophy Inter-School Cricket semifinals

All-rounder Rahman Ghani guided Fahad Academy into the semifinals of the Omar Trophy Inter-School Cricket Tournament 2016, being organized by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA), as they edged out Ebrahim Ali Bhai School by four wickets in the quarter-finals at the Naya Nazimabad Lawai Stadium.

Fahad Academy has now joined Qadri Public School and Kamran Public School in the semifinal line-up which will be completed by the winners of the last quarter-final tie between Beaconhouse School System and Springfield School.

Rahman Ghani, adjudged Man of the Match, came up with invaluable all-round performance to keep Fahad Academy afloat as they were seriously tested by Ebrahim Ali Bhai School.

Batting first, after winning the toss, Ebrahim Ali Bhai School squandered the brilliant start to their innings by getting bowled out for a paltry 117 in 31 overs. They pulled it back while defending the low total only to be denied by Rahman Ghani’s brilliant knock. 

Openers Asad Amin (42 off 97 balls) and Zia-ur-Rahman (32 off 33 balls) provided Ebrahim Ali Bhai School a solid foundation by adding 61 for the first wicket. None of their teammates could emulate them as the introduction of spinners turned the game.

Leg-spinner Hammad Hasan (4-8) and Rahman Ghani (2-9) rocked their innings and Fahad Academy became the favourites after bringing about a sensational collapse which saw Ebrahim Ali Bhai School lose 10 wickets for only 56 runs.

Fahad Academy, chasing 118 off 40 overs, ran into trouble as the top half of their batting was back in the hut with only 68 runs on the board. It was the left-arm spin of Mohammad Usman, who picked up four wickets for 23 runs, which opened up the contest.

Rahman Ghani, however, stood calm and his unbeaten 46 off 55 balls allowed Fahad Academy to get over the line with four wickets and as many as 11.2 overs in hand. He hit five boundaries in his match-winning knock.

Kamran Public School storm into Omar Trophy Inter-School Cricket semifinals

Kamran Public School stormed into the semifinals of the Omar Trophy Inter-School Cricket Tournament 2016, being organized by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA), by whipping Oasis English Secondary School by 89 runs in the quarter-finals at the Naya Nazimabad Lawai Stadium.


Qadri Public School had already entered semifinals after having knocked out St Patrick High School in the first quarter-final. In the remaining quarter-finals, Fahad Academy will be up against Ebrahim Ali Bhai School and Beaconhouse School System will take on Springfield School.

Choosing to bat, after winning the toss, Kamran Public School amassed an impressive total of 241 for six in the allotted 40 overs. Oasis English Secondary School, in reply, was bowled out for 143 in 30.5 overs.

Kamran Public School got off a flying start as the 101-run opening partnership between Anas Ilyas and Tariq Bakht laid the foundation for a big score.

Tariq Bakht departed after making 35 off 44 balls with the help of four boundaries but Anas Ilyas stayed longer, contributing 87 off 83 balls with the help of one six and four fours.

Oasis English Secondary School stemmed the flow of runs through leg-spinner Talha Ahsan (3-43) but Kamran Public School succeeded in raising the total past 225, thanks to the fighting unbroken 49-run seventh wicket stand between Abdul Moiz (42 off 38 balls) and Osama Adnan (24 off 32 balls).

Chasing a target of 229 in 40 overs, Oasis English Secondary School also started their innings on a positive note with openers Mohammad Saeed (43 off 43 balls) and Mohammad Kashan (21 off 19 balls) adding 63 for the first wicket in rapid time.

The complexion of the game changed dramatically when both the openers were run out in quick succession. Kamran Public School regained control through the spin trio of Obaidullah (3-26), Osama Adnan (3-33) and Mohammad Ovais (2-21) as Oasis English Secondary School lost their last seven wickets for only 63 to be all out for 152.

Kamran Public School’s opening batsman Anas Ilyas was adjudged Man of the Match for his 87, edging out skipper Osama Adnan, who claimed three wickets besides scoring an unbeaten 24.

Knockout phase of Omar Trophy Inter-School Cricket Tournament underway

The Omar Trophy Inter-School Cricket Tournament 2016, being organized by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA), has reached the knockout stage upon the conclusion of 48 league matches.

The tournament, contested by 32 teams, which got underway at the Karachi Gymkhana Cricket Ground on September 1, will be concluding, as per the original schedule, with the final and the prize distribution ceremony at the National Stadium, Karachi, on November 13.

Both the semifinals, also to be staged at the National Stadium on November 11 and 12, alongwith the final, will be televised live.

All the four quarter-finals will be played at Naya Nazimabad Lawai Stadium. In the first quarter-final, Qadri Model School has beaten St Patrick High School by six wickets while in the remaining quarter-finals, to be held during the current week, Kamran Public School will be taking on Oasis English Secondary School, Fahad Academy will lock horns with Ebrahim Ali Bhai School and Beaconhouse School System will combat Springfield School.

At the end of the league matches, Beaconhouse School System, Fahad Academy, Qadri Model School, Oasis English Secondary School, Springfield School, Ebrahim Ali Bhai School, St Patrick High School and Kamran Public School had emerged champions in Groups A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H respectively to advance to the quarter-finals.

Like the league matches, the knockout fixtures will also be limited to 40 overs per innings and no bowler will be permitted to bowl more than eight overs in a match whereas in order to encourage fast bowlers, the teams will not be allowed to use spinners during the first six overs.

This is for the eighth time when the PVCA has successfully organized the Inter-Schools tournament in Karachi, having launched it with great fanfare in 1999. The event is being sponsored by Omar Associates (Pvt) Ltd with Bank Alfalah Ltd being the co-sponsors.

Ebrahim Ali Bhai School, New Standard Secondary School record astonishing victories in Omar Trophy Inter-School Cricket

Centuries from Mohammad Usman and Zia-ur-Rahman powered Ebrahim Ali Bhai School to a record 310-run victory over Al Hameed Secondary School while New Standard Secondary School registering an astonishing victory while defending a modest total of 84 against Falcon House Grammar School in the latest matches of the Omar Trophy Inter-School Cricket Tournament 2016, being organized by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA).

Both the matches witnessed sensational stuff. Ebrahim Ali Bhai School whipped Al Hameed Secondary School after posting an awesome total of 361 for in 40 overs in the Group F encounter at the Naya Nazimabad Lawai Stadium while New Standard Secondary School managed to defeat Falcon House Grammar School by 47 runs after having scored only 84 in their Group H clash at the KCCA Stadium.

The 277-run partnership between opener Zia-ur-Rahman and Mohammad Usman for the second wicket allowed Ebrahim Ali Bhai School to post a monumental total. While opener Zia-ur-Rahman retired after scoring 120 off 89 balls with the help of five sixes and six fours, Mohammad Usman, adjudged Man of the Match, struck eight sixes and 21 fours in his staggering knock of 184, coming from only 100 balls.

Medium-pacers Haseebuddin (2-56) and Muneeruddin (2-63) were the successful bowlers for Al Hameed Secondary School but they were also put to sword by the rampaging batsmen as Ebrahim Ali Bhai School ended up with a record total of 361.

Al Hameed Secondary School lost their way from the outset while chasing the target of 362 to be bowled for 81 in 19.1 overs. The innings was wrapped up by Ebrahim Ali Bhai School’s leg-spinner Abdul Rahman (6-22) after medium-pacers Zeeshan-ur-Rahman (2-14) and Saeed-ur-Rahman (2-26) had routed the top-order.

The other match of the day turned to be a low-scoring affair as New Standard Secondary School successfully defended their total of 84 against Falcon House Grammar School.

Electing to bat, after winning the toss, New Standard Secondary School lost wickets at regular intervals to be all out for 84 in 21.1 overs. Fahad Khan (23 off nine balls) was their topscorer as the innings was rocked by leg-spinner Affan-ur-Rahman (5-22) after the early damaged was caused with the ball by medium-pacers Nafay Yar Khan (2-21) and Farjad Yar Khan (2-23).

Set a modest target of 84 in 40 overs, Falcon House Grammar School was skittled for a paltry 37 in 13.1 overs with only Sikander Khan (14 off 17 balls) reaching double figures. Off-spinners Tariq Khan (3-5) and Mohammad Nafay (2-2) shattered the middle-order after the opening bowlers Maaz Khalid (2-16) and Saqib Khan (1-11) picked up wickets upfront.

Falcon House Grammar School’s leg-spinner Affan-ur-Rahman was adjudicated as Man of the Match for his five-wicket haul despite being on the losing side.

Khafiz Ali spins Ebrahim Ali Bhai School to emphatic victory in Omar Trophy Inter-School Cricket

Left-arm spinner Khafiz Ali, with a sensational five-wicket haul, bowled Ebrahim Ali Bhai School to an emphatic 105-run victory over Karachi Public School in their Group F encounter of the Omar Trophy Inter-School Cricket Tournament 2016, being organized by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA), at the Eastern Star Ground in Karachi.

Khafiz Ali turned the match decisively with his spell of 4.2 overs in which he captured five wickets for only a couple of runs as Karachi Public School crashed from 75 for three to 93 all out. He was declared Man of the Match for his outstanding bowling effort.

Put into bat, Ebrahim Ali Bhai School was provided a flying start by the opening pair of Asad Amin (24 off 31 balls) and Kashif Khan (20 off 29 balls) as they added 48 for the first wicket.

The exhilarating 58-run fifth wicket partnership between Usman Shah (54 off 48 balls) and Aqeel Ahmed Shah (27 off 32 balls) put them in the driving seat before the spin duo of Ahmed Farooq (5-19) and Abdul Waris (4-36) caused a middle-order collapse.

Ebrahim Ali Bhai School regained control through the ninth wicket pair of Asif Khan (15 off 27 balls) and Abdul Rahman (13 off 15 balls) put on 38 priceless runs in testing conditions to take the total to 198.

Set a challenging target of 199 in 40 overs, Karachi Public School recovered after losing a couple of wickets cheaply. The 47-run third wicket partnership between opener Ishaq Ali (22 off 50 balls) and Ahmed Farooq (15 off 40 balls) kept him in the hunt but the momentum was surrendered with the introduction of left-arm spinner Khafiz Ali, who proved literally unplayable.

By routing their opponents for a paltry 93 in 29.4 overs, Ebrahim Ali Bhai School won the match by a handsome margin of 105 runs.