Still riding high from yesterday’s defeat of
arch-rivals India, Pakistan played like a squad determined to make the finals
and outclassed a scrappy Sri Lanka side in a 9 run victory on the way to 187
runs overall. The win puts Pakistan in
the finals of the 2019 Red Bull Campus Cricket tournament and a chance to seek
the ultimate glory of raising the winner’s trophy.
Man of the Match Mahmood Ali pushed Pakistan
from the start, leading a balanced attack at the crease with 23 runs and
providing outstanding fielding when the team needed it the most. Ali
also was the star against India the day prior when he punished India with a big
bat and hopes to keep this trend going in the finals against South Africa.
“Sri
Lanka played brilliant cricket today but I’m happy that we got the victory,”
Ali said. “South Africa will be a tough
opponent in the finals but we are ready for the challenge. Maybe the best team wins, maybe not but we’ll
go out and give our best.”
The Energizer Over again proved to be an Achilles
heel for Pakistan as they failed to capitalize for the 2nd straight
match. In what should be an opportunity
to pad their run totals, they instead were bowled out which automatically
staked Sri Lanka to a 5 run start on their chase. The Energizer Over is a unique element to Red
Bull Campus Cricket where teams can select one over where every run is double
in value and adds an additional strategic element to each match.
Launched in 2012 with just over 800
participants, Red Bull Campus Cricket has grown steadily, with the number of
participants increasing year-on-year, reaching over 8,000 athletes in total. It
has fast cemented its status as an important competition for aspiring
cricketers currently in university - all players within a team must be
affiliated with their own university or college.
Not only does the tournament provide teams
with professional cricketing experience, Red Bull Campus Cricket also offers a
once in a lifetime opportunity for upcoming cricket athletes to gain
recognition and further their career.