Qalandar’s Rising Stars tournament kicks off in Muzaffarabad

By
Faizan Lakhani
|

KARACHI: The carnival of cricket was launched in Azad Kashmir on Tuesday with Lahore Qalandar’s eight-team Rising Stars tournament being formally kicked off in Muzaffarabad.

Azad Kashmir’s Prime Minister Raja Farooq Khan, TV anchor Hamid Mir, Chairman Lahore Qalandars Rana Fawad and DCO Lahore Qalandars Aaqib Javed with others participated in a double wicket tournament to mark the opening of the tournament.

The first match of Rising Stars tournament was played between the hosts Muzaffarabad Rising Stars and Rawalpindi Rising Stars, in which the visitors registered a comfortable win by six wickets.

Batting first, Muzaffarabad Rising Stars were bowled out with 118 runs on board in 19.1 overs as Kamran Ghulam took three crucial wickets for Rawalpindi Rising Stars.

Muzaffarabad Rising Stars’ captain Mohammad Mubashir was the top scorer for the team with run-a-ball 34. Mohammad Irfan scored 15.

In reply, Rawalpindi Rising Stars reached the target with six wickets and five overs remaining. Sajawal Riaz, the eventual man-of-the-match, stroked seven boundaries for an unbeaten 57 off 46 deliveries.

In the second match of the opening day, Sargodha Rising Stars defeated Gujranwala Rising Stars by 7 wickets.

Gujranwala was bowled out for 123 runs in 19.5 overs after it decided to bat first.

Haseeb-ur-Rehman scored 22, Imran Dogar scored 15, and Zeeshan Farooq scored 12 runs to help Gujranwala post a respectable total. 

Sargodha’s leg-break bowler Farzan Raja played an important role in restricting Gujranwala’s batting by taking five wickets for 21 runs in his allocated four overs.

Chasing the target, Sargodha lost three wickets with 56 runs on board, but then Atiq-ur-Rehman and Farzan Raja took the charge and finished the match for the team with ten balls remaining.

Ateeq scored an unbeaten 40 off 30 balls while Farzan Raja smashed two sixes and one boundary for his 21 ball 29.

Two more matches will be played on the second day of Rising Stars tournament in Muzaffarabad on Wednesday.