Abu Dhabi: In a test of nerves, Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Pakistan School beat Abu Dhabi Indian School in the UAE Xchange Abu Dhabi School League U16 final.
ADIS were in control for the better part of the game, even with their prolific scorer Jonathan Figy first to depart after scoring a rapid 27 and the total at 38 in four overs.
Towards the end, however, it was the lads from Pakistan School who held their nerves to clinch victory by two runs to clinch their second ADSL title at the Zayed Cricket Stadium. Haji ur Rahman turned it around for Pakistan School by taking three wickets in the first over of his second spell.
The lanky medium pacer got one through the defence of Zaid Shaikh (5), had Nooran Thakur’s furniture shattered in the next ball and held on to a return catch off Ayan Ahmad (4). Nerves in the ADIS camp were really shattered as Athul Murali (0) was needlessly run out at the non-striker’s end that left them 81 for eight.
However, Sailles Jaishankar (9 not out) and Vijay Sashank (10) gave them a glimmer of hope by taking the score to 100 before Anwar Khan had the latter stumped off spinner Yousuf Khan, his third scalp.
Safeerullah Khan ended whatever hopes ADIS had when he knocked out the off stump of Mohammad Rasheed (0) to start the celebrations in the Pakistan School camp.
The two teams met last week in the ADSL U14 final and Pakistan School were convincing winners. They were also the beaten finalist to The Cambridge High School in the U19.
Sudhir Shetty, president of UAE Exchange Centre, and David East, CEO of both Emirates Cricket Board and Abu Dhabi Cricket Club along with Qazi Ayub, tournament director and Shahnawaz Hakim, operations manager of Abu Dhabi Cricket Council, presented the awards.
Man of the match in final — Haji ur Rahman of Pakistan School. Best Bowler — Nikhil Menon of Bright Riders. Best Batsman — Jonathan Figy of ADIS. Player of the Tournament — Osama Hassan of New Indian Model School — Al Ain. Dilawar Mani Spirit of Cricket Award — Pakistan School.
Brief Scores: Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Pakistan School beat Abu Dhabi Indian School by two runs. Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Pakistan School 103 all out in 20 overs (Haji ur Rahman 27, Sidharth Ramesh 2-14, Ayan Ahmad 2-18) Abu Dhabi Indian School 101 all out in 19.2 overs (Jonathan Figy 27, Yousuf Khan 3-14, Haji ur Rahman 3-24).
