The Women’s U19 T20 Tournament at the Lahore Country Club, Muridke, witnessed a dominating performance by the Conquerors as they secured a convincing eight-wicket victory over the Challengers, claiming the prestigious title along with the winning prize of PKR500,000. Throughout the tournament, the Conquerors showcased their prowess, winning three out of the four league stage matches and culminating their campaign with a resounding triumph in the final.
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, the Challengers faced a daunting challenge from the Conquerors’ bowlers. Struggling to find their rhythm, Challengers managed a mere 66 runs in 18.4 overs. The bowling attack led by Quratulain Ahsen and Memoona Khalid proved to be formidable, as they each claimed two wickets. Dina Razvi, Maham Anees, and Rida Aslam also contributed with a wicket each. Impressively, Maheen Irfan was the lone standout for Challengers, notching up the highest score of just 11 runs.
In response, the Conquerors showed their dominance by easily chasing down the target in just 13.1 overs, with eight wickets in hand. Rida Aslam and Dina Razvi demonstrated excellent composure at the crease, finishing unbeaten with 19 and 18 runs, respectively. This remarkable performance followed Memoona and Maham’s initial contributions of 12 and 10 runs. Memoona Khalid’s all-round performance earned her the well-deserved title of Player of the Match.
During the run chase, Saba Sher from Challengers managed to take two crucial wickets, finishing with figures of two for 15 in her four-over spell.
The Player of the Tournament title was bestowed upon Areesha Ansari of Strikers, who emerged as the top batswoman, amassing a total of 131 runs at an impressive average of over 43, coupled with a striking strike rate of 102. She also showcased her bowling prowess, taking four wickets in as many matches.
As part of the Pakistan Cricket Board’s efforts to nurture young cricketing talent, the standout performers of the tournament were rewarded with kit bags. Muqadas Bukhari, who emerged as the leading wicket-taker with seven scalps in five games, boasting an average of 8.14 and an economy rate of 3.80, was recognized as the Best Bowler. Samiya Afsar from Stars claimed the Best Batter title for her remarkable performance, accumulating 118 runs in four matches with an impressive average of 39.33 and a strike rate of 108.26.
Furthermore, Zaib-un-Nisa, the Conquerors’ captain, was celebrated as the Best Fielder for her remarkable eight catches, the highest by any player in the tournament. Her teammate, Muskan Abid, was acknowledged as the Best Wicket-Keeper for her five dismissals, which included three catches and two stumpings.
The Runners-up, Challengers, received a prize of PKR300,000 for their valiant efforts in the tournament.
This tournament was a part of the Pakistan Cricket Board’s initiative to identify and nurture talented young cricketers. With the national U19 side’s upcoming tour of Bangladesh scheduled for January, the tournament served as a crucial platform to scout promising talent. The PCB intends to select the best performers from this competition for a conditioning camp to further enhance their skills.
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