Abu Dhabi: Rehan Azam bowled an amazing last over to take five wickets from five balls to script a one-run thriller for Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Pakistan School over New Indian Model School-Al Ain.
NIMS-Al Ain needed three runs from six deliveries when Azam was given the task of bowling the final over. The first ball was driven towards mid-on for a single but what followed was bizarre.
Ashique Iqbal (4) lofted the next to the mid-on fielder and the in-form Osama Hassan (45), who crossed over to take strike, was well held at cover point in the next ball.
The three batsmen who followed were all beaten by the spin of Azam and the wicketkeeper did the rest as NIMS-Al Ain 132 for four were left 133 for nine in reply to Pakistan School’s 134 for six at the Abu Dhabi Cricket Council’s Nursery Oval-1.
It was Azam’s second successive five-wicket haul and the Pakistan School’s second win in the UAE Exchange Centre Abu Dhabi inter-school tournament Under 19 Group B.
In the other matches, Affan Shafeek hit 67 not out and took three for 14 for Sunrise to open their campaign with a 31-run win over Shining Star in another Group B match in the adjoining Oval-2.
Shafeek’s 41-ball knock consisted of eight hits to the fence and a couple clearing the grounds. His contribution with the bat saw his team reach 165 for four and as first charge in the attack he took three for 14 from his four overs to bowl out Shining Star for 134.
Merryland International got their campaign off to a winning start over The Model School and Abu Dhabi Indian School bounced back to get their first points on the board with a 61-run triumph over Emirates Future International, both in Group A.
