Kashmir Harvard beat Green Valley to lift GVEI's Khadija Memorial Cricket Cup

Srinagar: The picturesque Green Valley Educational Institute (GVEI) ground basked in the Saturday sun as it bore witness to a high-octane final match of the Khadija Memorial Cricket Cup 2023.

In an enthralling showdown, neighbouring educational institutions, Kashmir Harvard Educational Institute (KHEI) and Green Valley Educational Institute (GVEI), went head to head in pursuit of the prestigious championship.

From the very outset, the atmosphere was electric, with an eager audience of students and fervent cricket enthusiasts filling the stands to rally behind their respective schools. Nestled in the serene Elahi Bagh area of Srinagar, both schools had engaged in fierce competition throughout the tournament, and this climactic final was the moment everyone had eagerly anticipated.

The toss favoured GVEI, and they chose to field first, hoping to build pressure on KHEI. In the very first over, GVEI’s bowler, Ahmad Deedat, claimed a maiden wicket, setting a promising tone for his team. It seemed like GVEI’s decision to field first was paying off.

However, KHEI’s batsman showed their resilience in the second over, hitting boundaries and releasing the pressure. The boundaries and wide balls frustrated the bowlers, and KHEI managed to reach a score of 20 after two overs.

Ahmad Deedat in his 2nd over tried to build pressure again but the batsman didn’t lose a chance and hit the ball out for 6 runs. However, it did not discourage the bowler who tried to maintain the pressure.

In the early overs, it was tough competition from both teams. However, the GVEI claimed another wicket at 36 runs and finally, the KHEI scored 51 runs in the first five overs by losing three wickets.

In the next few hours, the GVEI maintained their dominance as the opponent team lost 7 wickets on 79 runs in nine overs. The 8th wicket fell on 86 in 9.4 overs and finally, the team of KHEi scored 108 runs in 12.5 overs by losing all 10 wickets.

The playground was packed with students from both schools cheering for their teams.

Despite some early wickets claimed by GVEI, KHEI put up a respectable score of 108 runs in 12.5 overs. The competitive spirit was evident as both teams fought hard.

In the second inning, GVEI’s opening batsmen faced a stern challenge from KHEI’s bowlers. The match became even more exciting as wickets fell at crucial junctures.

The opening batsmen of the GVEI team tried to give a good start but the bowlers equally displayed their skills and continued to maintain their pressure on the batsman.

The GVEI team lost a few wickets in the early overs. But the middle-order batsmen helped the team with some good partnerships and played a sensible inning.

In the next few overs, the game was out of the pocket of GVEI as it lost another two crucial wickets and the score was 71 in 9 overs.

Despite this, the batsman on the pitch played a few shots which raised hopes of the host school to bring back the title to the school. The turning point arrived when Daawar, the captain of GVEI, lost his wicket, leading to a nail-biting finish. The crowd’s excitement and support for both teams was swelling.

In the end, KHEI’s bowlers held their nerve and did not allow GVEI to chase the target and bundled the team of GVEI at 96 runs by claiming eight wickets in the allotted 15 overs and clinched the title of the tournament. The match showcased the talent and determination of young cricketers from these neighbouring schools.

The inter-school cricket tournament commenced on October 14 and 16 schools participated in the tournament. The tournament was played on a knock-out basis.

The Regional Passport Officer Srinagar Davinder Kumar was the Guest of Honor at the occasion while SHO Ahmadnagar Gowhar Malla and Arif Gul SHO Zakura also attended the final of the tournament.