Recorder Report

PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)’s A. H. Kardar Cup National U-16 Schools’ Cricket Championship, the largest ever such exercise in country’s sporting history with as many as 9000 school going kids from public and private schools involved initially, got under way here at Arbab Niaz Cricket Stadium on Monday.

PCB Coordinator for School Sohail Khan, Secretary Peshawar District Cricket Association Muhammad Asghar, MD Malik Cricket Academy Farman Ali, PCB Coach Sajjad Akhtar, and Hashmat Ali, teaching staff of various participating schools and players were also present during the inauguration ceremony.

The championship is aimed at to spot out much needed new faces at grassroots level and will continue for three long months.

The championship begins with 24 teams of the public and private sectors schools are taking part. The trophy is PCB’s tribute to the legendary Kardar who made a big impact as a player, captain and later on as a cricket administrator in Pakistan’s formative years.

Sohail Khan said that PCB sensed the importance of the cricket at the grassroots level which is likely to yield long term results and provide an exciting talent pool that can graduate to international cricket in due course of time.

He said PCB is committed of spreading cricket far and wide besides tapping into young talent at an early stage. He disclosed that son of A.H Kardan, Shahid Kardar donated the trophy besides a cash prize of Rs 100,000 for the best player of the championship. He said, a total of 21 cities are involved in this record breaking event that is set to engage some of the leading schools across the country besides ones where sport activities are scarcely held.

In the opening match Al-Imran Memorial School defeated Bashirabad High School by 86 runs. Al-Imran Memorial School skipper won the toss and elected to bat first by setting up 210 runs wherein Hisam Farooq made elegant knock of 75 runs and remained unbeaten by hitting nine boundaries and one six, Aleem Afridi made 56 runs. In reply, Govt High School Bashirabad bundled out for 124 runs.