The final match of the fifth edition of the Men’s Under-23 Emerging Asia Cup Cricket Tournament, which started in 2013 under the auspices of the Asian Cricket Council, was played in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Sunday, in which Pakistan defended its title and easily defeated arch-rivals India by 128 runs.

Batting first, Pakistan set a target of 353 runs for India, losing eight wickets with the help of Tayyab Tahir’s brilliant century. In pursuit of the target, the Indian team was bundled out for 224. Earlier, in the semi-finals, India defeated Bangladesh and Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka.

Pakistan and India competed twice in this tournament, with India winning the first match. Pakistan Cricket Board Management Committee Chairman Zaka Ashraf has expressed hope that this win will motivate the team for future tournaments, leading to a chance to play in Asia and the World Cup.

Apart from Emerging Asia Cricket, on the same day, after 37 years, Pakistan once again won the World Junior Squash Championship, in which Hamza Khan defeated Egypt’s Mohammad Zakaria by three to one in the final match played in Melbourne, Australia. Earlier, John Sher Khan won this title in 1986. In the semi-final of the tournament, Hamza defeated France’s Mannico and the Malaysian player in the quarter-final.

Hamza’s outstanding achievement has been hailed by eminent personalities as the birth of a new star on the horizon of squash. While Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s congratulations on both achievements on Twitter are necessary to encourage these players, the nation is also rightfully proud of them.

MUHAMMAD AMIN,

Kech.