Cricket provides vehicle for promoting and highlighting the importance of gender equality in sport, Australian High Commission to Pakistan SOS Village team won PCB-AHC Girls’ Cup cricket final, defeated Mashal school team by 83 runs at Islamabad.

SOS Village team won PCB-AHC Girls’ Cup cricket final, defeated Mashal school team by 83 runs at Islamabad.

“Cricket provides vehicle for promoting and highlighting the importance of gender equality in sport, Australian High Commission

 

By.Asghar Ali Mubarak

Islamabad-The Australian High Commission (AHC) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) with the support of Serena Hotels today hosted the inaugural PCB-AHC Girls’ Cup cricket final in Marghazar Cricket Ground Islamabad.

 

The PCB-AHC Girls’ Cup 2016 brought together teams from four underprivileged schools: Pakistan Sweet Homes, SOS Schools, Islamabad Special Education School (Girls with Hearing Impairment) and Mashal Charity School. The girl’s attended week-long coaching camp conducted by PCB coaches and first class Pakistani female cricketers. A round-robin competition was held on 30 April and semi-finals and the final on 1^st May. The final match was played between SOS Village and Mashal school at Marghazar Cricket Ground Islamabad. After winning the toss SOS Village scored 162 in allotted ten over’s, Mashal school team all out 79 in 6^th over’s and lost the match by 83runs.Australian High Commissioner Margaret Adamson said the initiative was designed to empower girls and provide them with an opportunity to learn the value of teamwork and sportsmanship and to expand their horizons.

 

“Cricket in Pakistan and Australia is a shared passion for boys and girls, men and women, and provides a wonderful vehicle for promoting and highlighting the importance of gender equality in sport and beyond,” Ms. Adamson said.

 

“We are delighted to see such a positive response and look forward to making this an annual event with the support of the PCB and Serena Hotels including more schools, potentially from different regions of Pakistan,” she said.

 

Mr. Aziz Boolani, CEO Serena Hotels said: “Our commitments to gender empowerment through sports initiatives found expression in the PCB-AHC Girls’ Cricket Cup as we truly believe that sports are a means to encourage healthy lifestyles, peace, tolerance and teamwork.”

 

Serena Hotels’ Sports Diplomacy Initiative continues to encourage sports asa way to provide opportunities to encourage cohesive bonds amongst different segments of society. Serena Hotels hold various events annually including Golf, Tennis, Polo, Football, Cricket and squash.