Dubai: Gems Modern Academy Under-13 team displayed their might to emerge as the champions for the second year in succession in the ninth edition of the Maxtalent Global Sports-organised Vision Cup interschool tournament.
In the final played at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Modern Academy defeated Delhi Private School,(DPS) Dubai by six wickets.
Speaking to Gulf News, Modern Academy coach Shafiq Ahmad said: “We are consistent in inter schools under-13 level tournaments because we groom our players from the age of 10. Every year, new children are trained from Grade 4 and 5 so that when some cross the age of 13 another fresh talented bunch will be ready to represent the team. First we play the new faces in the Sandeep Batavia Under-12 inter school tournament and then prepare them for Under-13 events. This is why we are dominating in all Under-13 cricket tournaments.”
Batting first, DPS were restricted to 103 for six in 20 overs despite Aryan Lakra’s run-a-ball 43 runs. Modern Academy reached the target in 18 overs, thanks to Player of the Tournament Varun Nayanar’s 32 runs and consistent Ronak Panoly’s 26 runs.
“Nayanar played his role to perfection in the middle order. He was supposed to hold the innings together and not go for big shots while opener Panoly was supposed to do the hard-hitting. With consistent performance from skipper Swabhanu Khosla, our team combined well to pull off impressive victories,” added Ahmad, who had shaped many cricketers to represent UAE in international cricket.
Modern Academy players too fielded brilliantly, with Varun Ravi’s breathtaking one-handed catch at mid wicket to end Lakara’s dominating knock being the best. Nayanar, a wicketkeeper-batsman, was adjudged the Players of the Tournament for scoring 90 runs and producing 14 stumping in the tournament.
