DAV College crowned winners

CHANDIGARH: Any India versus Pakistan cricket game usually produces its share of fireworks on the field and the final started with plenty of tension in a match which the boys from Chandigarh eventually outplayed the Karachi natives.
In the much-anticipated clash between the traditional rivals, Pakistan won the toss and elected to field first. The final was the third meeting of the tournament between DAV College, Chandigarh and Karachi University.Meer Hamza and Nabeel Khalid bowled a fast and accurate opening spell that subdued the city-based team completely. Hamza dismissed leading run scorer in the tournament, for just one run and Gaurav Tandon for a duck.
Khalid dismissed Deepak Sharma for no score, leaving India on 2/3 in the fourth over. India lost another wicket inside the first 10 overs, when Simranpreet Singh was stumped for 16 off the bowling of Shahzaib Khan. Turning things around for this team, India captain Kunal Mahajan hit seven sixes and three fours in a 73-run innings that laid the foundation for India to reach an imposing 170/8. Khalid, Hamza and Mirza Jamil all took two wickets apiece in a strong fielding performance that saw some scintillating catches taken.
Needing to maintain a run rate of more than eight per over, Pakistan got off to a slow start with openers Faraz Ali and Ammar Hasan only able to make 16 in four overs before Ali was dismissed by Rattan Singh for just five. This opened the floodgates as none of the Pakistani batsmen, with the exception of Hasan - who scored 58 off 49 with one six and seven fours - were able to fend off the spirited Indian bowling attack. Gurinder Singh took 4/20 and Rattan Singh claimed 3/16 to contain Pakistan to just 121 all out, giving them a 49-run victory.
Pakistan's early bowling was good, but India's was better. It was a game that could have swung either way but India's bowling attack was simply too good for Pakistan. India represented by DAV College, Chandigarh won the inaugural Campus Cricket World Finals in a near flawless display. Its captain Kunal Mahajan, won the 'Man of the Match' for his knock of 73.
Gurinder Singh deservedly won the man of the tournament for an all around performance where he took 16 wickets and scored 246 runs including the only century of the tournament. The Indian team, apart from the title, earns the right to play a Campus Cricket All Stars comprising players from Australia, Bangladesh, Great Britain, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. tnn