KARACHI: Eight government schools are among 32 educational institutions who will vie for top honours in the ninth edition of the PVCA/EBM Inter-school Cricket Tournament which starts from Thursday with Falconhouse Grammar School taking on St Paul’s School.

Former Pakistan captain and batting legend Younis Khan has consented to be the chief guest and will inaugurate the tournament — which is being organised by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA) — at the Karachi Gymkhana Ground at 9:30am.

PVCA chairman Fawad Ijaz Khan, while addressing a media briefing here on Tuesday, said a total of 55 matches will be played over the next two months. After the league phase concludes, the quarter-finals will be staged from Nov 26m, the semi-finals on Dec 14 and 15 while the final is slated to be held on Dec 16 at the National Stadium.

Ijaz stated that over the years PVCA had played a pivotal role in promoting the game at the grassroots level after the inaugural tournament was held in 1999.

“This is a platform which has produced the likes of current Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed, Asad Shafiq and Anwar Ali. We started inter-school cricket on the pattern of Ruby Shield, which used to be the premier tournament of its kind and it’s still talked about with great awe. We have been successfully holding it after every two years but now it’s our goal to organise every year,” Ijaz said.

He further said that PVCA, with an eye on promoting the game in every segment of the society, has made greater efforts to facilitate the government schools.

“We have not only ensured the participation of eight schools from this sector in the tournament but we have also arranged for them kits and gears free of cost,” the PVCA chairman remarked.

KCCA president Nadeem Omar, speaking on the occasion, praised PVCA’s role in boosting youngsters.

“It’s quite an extraordinary achievement by all standards. Full credit is due to Fawad Ijaz Khan and his team for having worked with missionary zeal over the years. They have performed momentous task,” the KCCA president observed before saying that the PCB should take the responsibility of organising Inter-school tournaments on a regular basis across the country.

“The youth of the country needs to be motivated towards cricket and other sports. More playgrounds are needed to be developed on an urgent basis and sports must be developed from the grassroots level.”

The following schools are taking part in the tournament:

Group ‘A’: Falconhouse Grammar School, St Paul’s School, Aga Khan Secondary School, Major Ziauddin Secondary School.

Group ‘B’: Kamran Public School, Nasra Secondary School, Superior Educational Academy, GBSS Mumtaz Firdaus Colony.

Group ‘C’: New Standard Secondary School, Hira Foundation School, Zeeshan Secondary School, GBSS Korangi No 3.

Group ‘D’: Fahad Academy, CAA School, Fahim Schooling System, GBSS Bilal Colony.

Group ‘E’: Qamar Bin Hashim School, Oasis English Secondary School, Oxford Grammar School, Ebrahim Ali Bhai Secondary School.

Group ‘F’: Happy Palace School, Beaconhouse School System, Behbud Secondary School, GBSS Anglo Oriental.

Group ‘G’: Al Fatima School, City School Network, Happy Home School, GBSS Shoaib Muhammadi.

Group ‘H’: St Patrick’s High School, Foundation Public School, FF Public School, Zaheer Public School.

Published in Dawn, October 10th, 2018