2012 SAARC Inter-Embassy Cricket Tournament in Sweden

The Pakistan Embassy won the first ever SAARC Inter-Embassy Cricket Tournament, held at Sigtuna Cricket Club Stadium in Märsta, north of Stockholm. This event was jointly organized by Sri Lanka and Pakistan Embassies in Stockholm.

The Embassies of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka took each other on in the most gentlemanlike of games and the teams were also the first ones who got the opportunity to try the brand new combined cricket/soccer field in Sigtun, on 9th June.

Sri Lankan Embassy driver Mr. Nuwan Prabath was named “Best Batsman” for scoring 31 rounds and thus provided a certain bit of consolation for the defeated Sri Lankan team.

But the “Man of the Match” both by good sport and inspirational spirit was for Nadeem Riyaz, Ambassador of Pakistan.

In his speech at the award ceremony, this former opening batsman for the Pakistan Foreign Service team, shared with the players and the audience about his personal battle against cancer. This was the first time since that battle began five years ago that he took a bat in his hand, and he did so with verve. Ambassador Riyaz thanked the Ambassador of Sri Lanka for taking the initiative to organize the tournament and encouraged everyone present to support cancer research.

The Sri Lanka team fought bravely under the captainship of Ambassador Oshadhi Alahapperuma, as did the Bangladesh team, but both teams had to admit defeat and finally congratulated the Pakistan Embassy to a well-deserved victory.

This cricket Saturday was an opportunity for team-building, both within the playing teams of the participating Embassies and within the larger South Asian “diplomatic team” which came out strong and ready, despite the threatening rain.

A combined SAARC Embassies team will meet on the 7th July the combined New Zeeland-Australia Embassies team at the same venue meet, as well as next year 2013 SAARC Inter-Embassy Cricket Tournament.

RESULTS

1st match

Pakistan – Bangladesh
Bangladesh 27 for 5 wickets in 10 overs
Pakistan 28 with losing 2 wickets

2nd match

Bangladesh - Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka 46 for 1 wicket in 10 overs
Bangladesh 47 without losing a wicket

3rd match

Pakistan – Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka 38 for 4 wickets in 10 overs
Pakistan 39 with losing a wicket

Finals

Pakistan – Bangladesh
Pakistan 64 for 5 wickets in 10 overs
Bangladesh 33 all out

Pakistan won the final match by 31 runs.

- Asian Tribune –

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