Jinnah College crowned national champions of Campus Cricket

KARACHI: The Jinnah College team downed that of the University of Central Punjab – the defending champions – from Lahore in the nail-biting final of Red Bull Campus Cricket 2017, played here at the Moin Khan Academy Ground Saturday night.

Batting first, the winners posted a total of 106 runs in the 20 allotted overs. Arsalan Bashir scored the highest, with a 37-ball, 38-run knock, which proved to be vital at the end for the Jinnah College outfit.

Hanif Azad scored 18 runs.

Mehran Asfand bowled a splendid spell, taking five wickets for a mere nine runs in his four overs, while Tipu Sultan claimed two wickets.

In response, the UCP batsmen were strangled by the Jinnah College bowlers, who did not allow them to break free. Mohidis Waqas and Fahadis Bukhari took two wickets each to break the back of the UCP chase.

Kamran Afzal contributed 29 runs, whereas Taimoor Sultan also fought hard with his 25 run innings; yet, both failed to take their team past the target as Jinnah College recorded a memorable 10-run win and UCP ended their 20 overs at 96-for eight.

Jinnah College will now get the honour of representing Pakistan in the RBCC World Finals, scheduled to be played in Sri Lanka next month.