JKCA U-14 INTER-SCHOOL: JKCA Leopards roar to victory, lift maiden U-14 cricket title

Srinagar, Jul 27: JKCA Leopards were crowned champions of the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association’s (JKCA) first-ever U-14 Invitational Inter-School Cricket Tournament, outclassing DPS Srinagar by seven wickets in the final at Doon School in Srinagar on Sunday.

Opting to bat first after winning the toss, DPS Srinagar posted 148/8 in 25 overs, driven by fine knocks from Rouhan (45) and Rafid (29). For JKCA Leopards, Zaid starred with the ball, scalping three wickets, while Hazim chipped in with two.

Chasing 149, JKCA Leopards romped home in just 14 overs, losing three wickets. The star of the final was Arsalan, who smashed an unbeaten 85 runs, steering his team to a comprehensive win. For DPS, Dayan picked up two wickets.

Speaking about the significance of the tournament, BCCI-appointed sub-committee member and member of the administration of JKCA, Anil Gupta, while speaking to Greater Kashmir, said, “This U-14 tournament has been on our mind for almost two to three years. We wanted to catch them young and prepare a pool of players for under-16 and under-19 levels.”

Gupta added that the event was a resounding success and that JKCA plans to integrate identified talent into structured coaching programs.

Gupta said efforts were also underway to explore North Zone-level U-14 competitions in collaboration with other state associations.

Welcoming the move, former cricketer Riyaz Katjoo, also the principal of Green Valley Educational Institute, described the tournament as a ‘game-changer for young cricketers in Kashmir.’ “This is one of the best things that can happen for under-14 players. They got a chance to play 25-over matches on turf wickets with red balls, which is rare in school-level cricket here,” Katjoo said.