KARACHI: Sindh Minister for Information Sharjeel Memon and KCCA President Prof Ejaz Farooqi jointly present the Naya Nazimabad Ramazan Cup winners’ trophy to Dollar East captain Mohammad Sami.

KARACHI: For the second year running, the final of the Naya Nazimabad Ramazan Cricket Tourna­ment produced a thriller as Dollar East pipped holders Omar CC by just two runs to become new champions at the Lawai Cricket Sta­dium in the early hours of Monday.

The third edition of the event provided a fitting and electrifying finale when the veteran Tariq Haroon transformed from a villain to a hero in the space of three balls of a sensational last over of the title-deciding fixture with Omar CC requiring 21 runs to overtake 192-7 posted by Dollar East after Mohammad Sami had chosen to bat first at the toss.

The game, which neither side really deserved to lose, Dollar East overcame the shock of seeing upcoming all-rounder Zafar Gohar hammer sixes off the first three balls before Tariq hit back to have the ex-Pakistan Under-19 player caught.

And then on the final ball, Tariq was extremely fortunate to win a LBW verdict against Rizwan Khan when three runs were required by Omar CC to retain the title they won last year with a two-run triumph against Advance Telecom (now renamed as Rivo Mobile).

Umpire Aaley Haider, the former first-class cricketer, was moreover guilty of not calling a wide when Tariq pitched a delivery that was totally out of Zafar’s reach.

Omar CC skipper Saad Nasim, in his post-match comments, lamented the substandard umpiring during the tournament and more so in the final.

Omar CC’s chase started on shaky note when a well-directed bouncer from Shehzad Azam Rana accounted for teenaged Pakistan T20 opener Nauman Anwar, who top-edged a catch straight down the lap of Kashif Bhatti at long leg for two.

Fazal Subhan threatened to put Dollar East on the back foot with a 24-ball 47 with that included five fours and three sixes but dismissal by an Usman Qadir flipper proved crucial.

Mohammad Nawaz also batted superbly before being run out for a 26-ball 35 (three boundaries), Zafar’s 40 off 17 deliveries contained five sixes and one four.

Tariq finished with four wickets for 34 runs in three overs and slow left-armer Azam Hussain two for 18 in three.

Earlier, the Dollar East innings was dominated by discarded Pakistan opener Sharjeel Khan who bludgeoned nine boundaries and four sixes in a brilliant 45-ball knock of 75 that made him the man-of-the-match.

Khurram Shehzad, who later donned the wicket-keeping gloves in a makeshift arrangement, nonchalantly lifted the last ball of the innings for a massive six to finish on 31 not out from 21 balls while also striking two other sixes and a four. Kashif made 23 off 14 with two sixes and a four in the unbroken stand of 33 with Khurram.

Saad snared four wickets for 24 runs and Nawaz 2-38.

Saad (best bowler), Ahsan Ali (best batsman) and Umar Siddique (best wicket-keeper) earned the tournament’s individual prizes in a glittering ceremony which was graced by Sharjeel Inam Memon, provincial information and local government minister as the chief guest with Arif Habib, chairman of Arif Habib Group, tournament director Mohammad Iqbal, tournament secretary Azhar Iqbal, Nadeem Omar and Zaheer Ahmed Sheikh among the prominent dignitaries.

Sami received the winners’ trophy and Rs500,000 while Saad collected the runners-up trophy and Rs250,000 on behalf of their respective teams.

Summarised scores:

DOLLAR EAST 192-7 in 20 overs (Sharjeel Khan 75, Khurram Shahzad not out 31, Kashif Bhatti 23 not out; Saad Nasim 4-24, Mohammad Nawaz 2-38); OMAR CC 190-9 in 20 overs (Fazal Subhan 47, Zafar Gohar 40, Mohammad Nawaz 35, Shaharyar Ghani 25; Tariq Haroon 4-34, Azam Hussain 2-18).

Published in Dawn ,July 14th, 2015

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