29/04/2013
Match no 37 SFL-Dyeing Vs Lahore Blues
SFL-D won the all-important toss and opted to bat first. Abdul Rehman and Ameen started cautiously and made 12 runs in first over of 12 overs match. Blues got their important wicket of Abdul Rehman in second over and then got Ameen in third over. Early dismissals of Ameen and Abdul Rehman choked the strong looking batting line of SFL-D. Wickets kept on falling regularly as, surprisingly, Blues took all the catches. Usman Butt and Umer bowled brilliantly and took 4 and 2 wickets respectively. But Farman showed good resistance with the bat. At time, it looks SFL-D would be bowled out within 100 runs but Rao Naveed played a magnificent over, bowled by Hafiz Shahzad, in which he scored 30 runs, a real turning point of the match. But Blues other bowlers kept very tight lines and bowled out SFL-D in 12th over for just 123 runs.
As per history of Blues against SFL-D, the opening pair didn’t last long as Mumtaz Khan gave catch on first ball of the run chase. SFL-D took hold of the match when they got Usman Butt in the second over for zero. The two batting giants of Blues, Mumtaz & Usman Butt, went back cheaply in the final match pressurizing the whole team. Shakeel, on the other hand, played a fearless innings hitting sixes and fours and keeping Blues in the match. After the wicket of Shakeel who scored valiant 44 runs, Blues again went in traumatized situation as another big name in the batting lineup, Hafiz Shahzad, failed to perform. Farman and Pervaiz asphyxiated the battings line of Blues and restricted them to a paltry total of 98 runs. SFL-D won the tournament for the fifth time and illustrated why they are the best team of Sapphire. Hats off to their splendid performance in this match.
Post-match grand closing ceremony of the tournament was arranged where awards & souvenirs were given to the sports management community & top performers of the tournament, honorable guests including bankers, mills management & staff were also present. The ceremony looked propitious with presence of Mian Shayan Abdullah Sb, as our Chief guest of the evening. 10th Intra Sapphire Sports Gala ended with a scrumptious dinner arranged for all Sapphire family members present in the ground.
We would like to thank our respectable director & mills management because we are able to manufacture such an invigorating activity for the family only with their kind support & backing. We look forward for the same excitement & stimulation in all coming events.