Sports Bulletin

Our Sports Reporter LAHORE:-The involvement and participation of Pakistani women in mainstream cricket continues to increase as four women have registered for a three-day ACC Level 1 Women Coaching Course, which will be held in Lahore from 17 to 19 October. Women registered for the first step in future coaching roles include Abbottabad’s Atika Sabir Khan, Lahore’s Fareeha Mahmood, Shehla Bibi from Wah Cantt and Tasleem Bano from the Gaizer district of Gilgit Baltistan. Fareeha is a current Pakistan international who featured in three T20Is against Sri Lanka in March 2018. Other participants in the course, first of its kind, include representatives from Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bhutan, Hong Kong, Iran, Kuwait (two), Malaysia, Maldives, Oman (two) and United Arab Emirates. Ali Zia, Senior General Manager – National Cricket Academy, and also a course instructor course said: “We have already organized two Level-2 courses in the past. The feedback given by ACC to PCB was commendable and it was marked as the best-ever organized so far. “There is a certain standard set for the course, the participants will gain great benefit from the course, as it will provide them with an opportunity to go back to their countries and train young girls. “The ACC’s Test playing countries are always there in development of the associate countries and will continue to play an active role in future.” Sultan Rana, ACC’s Events and Development Manager, said: “ACC is working with its member countries in the development of the game in the region. The ACC takes pride in hosting its inaugural women’s level-1 course at NCA.  The initiative was taken in the ACC’s Development Committee meeting, which was chaired by Chairman PCB Mr Ehsan Mani. Our purpose is to encourage more girls in this game, and the course will provide an opportunity to inspire them. It will also help the participants to go back to their homeland and play a part in the development of women’s cricket.”  ACC Level 1 Women’s Coaching Course: Atika Sabir Khan (Pakistan), Awatif Alqallaf (Kuwait), Dechen Wangmo (Bhutan), Elnaz Parvin (Iran), Emylia Eliani Binti Md Rahim (Malaysia), Fareeha Mahmood (Pakistan), Khadija Khalil (Kuwait), Mariyam Zoona (Maldives), Meera Bhanushali (Oman), Nawal Tahir Mohammad (Bahrain), Shamila Chathurika Ananda (UAE), Shanzzen Shahzad (Hong Kong), Shazia Rahman Zazai (Afghanistan), Shehla Bibi (Pakistan), Tasleem Bano (Pakistan), Vaishali Jesrani (Oman)

SB Report FAISALABAD-An unbeaten 111 from 63 balls by Ahmed Shehzad helped Central Punjab to a four-wicket win over Northern in the fifth fixture of the ongoing National T20 Cup at Faisalabad’s Iqbal Stadium. Set a target of 223, Central Punjab chased down the total on the penultimate ball of the match. Opener Ahmed played an instrumental role in the run-chase, hitting 13 fours and three sixes to guide his team to their first win of the tournament. The next best scorer in the Central Punjab’s innings was Saad Nasim, who made 29 from 20 balls with three fours and a six. Faheem Ashraf lofted two sixes and a four in his 28, which came off 16 balls. Northern’s captain Imad Wasim was the pick of the bowlers with three for 38. That Northern had set 222 for six in 20 overs – after deciding to bat - was because of Asif Ali, who struck a blistering 93 off 35 balls with four fours and 10 sixes. Mohammad Nawaz scored 51 off 35 balls, cracking four sixes and a four as the pair stitched a 107-run partnership for the third-wicket. Faheem took three wickets for 44 runs. Waqas Maqsood, Nasim Shah and Usman Qadir took a wicket each. Scores in brief: Northern 222-6, 20 overs (Asif Ali 93, Mohammad Nawaz 51, Umar Amin 38, Imad Wasim 22; Faheem Ashraf 3-44) Central Punjab 226-6, 19.5 overs (Ahmed Shehzad 111, Saad Nasim 29, Faheem Ashraf 28, Rizwan Hussain 20; Imad Wasim 3-38, Sohail Tanvir 2-50)