Aftab Javed’s back-to-back centuries give Seven Districts back-to-back victories

By K.R. Nayar

Sharjah. Back-to-back centuries from Muhammad Aftab Javed gave Seven Districts Cricket Academy back-to-back victories in the 49th Bukhatir League at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Thursday. Seven Districts, who are also the sponsors of this tournament, had beaten Lexington Shotguns in their opening match by four wickets, riding on Javed’s knock of 120. On Thursday, they recorded an impressive 72-run victory over the strong Z Games Strikers through Javed’s unbeaten 131 off just 103 balls, which included nine boundaries and six sixes. Syed Haider Shah swelled Seven Districts’ total to a mammoth 331 for 5 through a breezy 90 off 71 balls with 12 boundaries and two sixes.

Aftab Javed receives the Player of the Match award from match referee Tehseen Javed 

Z Games were restricted to 259 in 42.4 overs despite the consistent Lovepreet Bajwa scoring 103 runs off 93 balls with 14 boundaries and two sixes. Bajwa had hit an unbeaten 116 in his team’s four-wicket win against Gems Education Cricket Club last Sunday. Lahiru Sandaruwan and Irfan Yousafzai, with three-wicket spells, backed by Muhammad Irfan with two wickets, put the brakes on Z Games.

The tale behind Aftab Javed’s centuries

Javed, who is just 23 years old, narrated his story. These centuries are the result of his immense determination. He hails from Noorshah, a small town in the Sahiwal District of Pakistan. “It is my passion for cricket from childhood that has helped me achieve whatever I have done. I played cricket at the professional level in Pakistan but kept missing opportunities, and it was then that I decided to come to the UAE. I reached here on December 9, 2023. Seven Districts owner Muhammad Haider Bhai selected me after Seven Districts team trials. After selection, he has supported me through all situations. He provided everything I needed to resurrect my career. The Seven Districts team became my family. Haider Bhai helped me get an opportunity to play in the D Series in Ajman. Adnan Ul Mulk Bhai also helped me get opportunities. I performed well in the D Series and thus got to play in the Bukhatir League. I have got back-to-back centuries now and I value the second century more as my team was chasing the target. I dedicate these back-to-back centuries to my dad, who supported my passion for the game and believes in me. I feel so proud that my team has recorded back-to-back victories and that I was able to contribute to them.”

Aftab Javed with the Player of the Match award. Click cricketlovers.com for extensive coverage of the 49th Bukhatir League 

Javed played for the Saeed Ajmal Cricket Academy and also played with reputed Pakistan players like Test star Saleem Elahi, Asif Ali, and Rameez Alam. “I represented the Sahiwal District team and shined as a bowler. Once, I bagged 22 wickets in five matches during a district championship with my left-arm spin. After the district championship, which Sahiwal won, I went to the Multan Region first-class trials but did not get selected,” said Javed, who has now been in the UAE for 19 months. He has not bothered to find out how many years he must wait to be eligible for UAE national selection. Right now, his focus is on scoring runs and winning matches.

Seven Districts innings

Seven Districts were asked to bat first. Opener Zainullah and Muhammad Irfan put on 22 runs in four overs before Zeeshan Naseer clean bowled Irfan for 15. This was followed by a 52-run partnership between one-drop Ahmed Tariq and Zainullah. At the score of 74, Tariq was stumped by wicketkeeper Yash Sabnani off Aayan Afzal Khan for 21. Aftab Javed began slowly, taking nearly 20 balls to hit his first boundary. At the score of 82 in 18.4 overs, Zainullah fell to Muhammad Azhar, caught behind by wicketkeeper Sabnani for 32.

Tharindu Perera and Javed took the score past the 100-run mark. The pair produced yet another 52-run partnership. At 134, Perera offered wicketkeeper Sabnani his second catch, off Zeeshan Naseer, for 22. In walked Syed Muhammad Haider Shah, who is also known as Wasi Shah, and the runs began to flow freely. Javed hit Naseer for two sixes in the 30th over. Soon, Haider began to open out and hit two successive boundaries off Muhammad Azhar.

Javed raced to his half-century in 59 balls. In the 39th over, he hit Aayan Afzal Khan for two consecutive sixes and a boundary, taking 20 runs off the over. Haider Shah was at his aggressive best in the 43rd over against Zahid Ali. After reaching his half-century in 49 balls—hitting the first ball from Ali for a boundary—he hit another boundary off the third delivery. He then hit the fourth ball for a six and the last two deliveries for boundaries, taking 22 runs off the over.

Haider Shah .. breezy knock 

Haider Shah did not spare Danish Qureshi either, hitting three boundaries off him in the 45th over. Shah, who looked all set for his century, got out to Zahid Ali, caught by Lovepreet Bajwa for 90. Though he missed his century, he is pleased with his knock, Shah said: “I’m happy to contribute to the team’s win, as I always back myself to perform well in the big games, and I’m glad that whatever I planned, I could execute properly. The plan was simple—to stay at the crease for a long period and capitalise on the mistakes to score freely. Everyone tells me I am not a long-format player, but I would like to thank Haider Bhai, the owner of Seven Districts, because he backed me regardless of whether it was a long or short-format tournament.”

Javed punished Ali for ending his 165-run partnership with Haider Shah by hitting two consecutive boundaries off that over. He reached his century in 97 balls. The last over was Javed’s best of the innings. He hit Naseer for a six off the second ball, followed it up with boundaries off the third and fourth balls, hit a six off the fifth, and ended his innings with a double—taking 22 runs off the over. Javed walked back unconquered, ensuring his team a match-winning total of 331 for 5 in 50 overs.

Z Games Strikers chase

Z Games Strikers began their chase with opener Alishan Sharafu unleashing aggressive shots from the very first over. He hit Lahiru Sandaruwan for four consecutive boundaries. Muhammad Irfan managed to keep Sharafu quiet, giving away only two runs in the second over, but off the first ball of the third over, Sharafu hit Lahiru for a six. He also hit Irfan Yousafzai for another six off the first ball, but fell to the last ball of that over, caught by Ahmed Tariq for 29 runs. His 23-ball knock had four boundaries and two sixes. Sharafu had scored 29 of the 38-run opening partnership with Shahrukh Muhammad Amin.

In the sixth over, Shahrukh fell to Muhammad Irfan, caught by Yousafzai for 7. Lovepreet Bajwa began his century knock with a boundary off Yousafzai. By the ninth over, he announced he was set for a long innings by hitting Yousafzai for three consecutive boundaries. With Ahaan Fernandes, Bajwa steered the total to 100 in 15 overs. He also reached his half-century in 43 balls.

Lovepreet Bajwa ... splendid form 

Saqib Ali ended the 93-run partnership for the third wicket by having Fernandes caught by Yousafzai for 34. His 54-ball knock included three boundaries and a six. Yousafzai removed Aryan Saxena for 9, caught by Lahiru. Bajwa continued his onslaught, hitting Nabeel Aziz for a six and a boundary in the 31st over. Nabeel Arshad struck a vital blow by having Aayan Afzal Khan caught by Yousafzai for 9. Incidentally, it was Yousafzai’s third catch of the innings, and with three wickets, he played a role in six dismissals.

Lahiru ended Bajwa’s innings in the 36th over, having him caught by Ahmed Tariq for 106. He also picked up the wicket of Danish Qureshi for 1 to bowl out Z Games Strikers for 259 in 42.4 overs.

Brief scores:
The Seven Districts Cricket Academy bt Z Games Strikers by 72 runs. The Seven Districts Cricket Academy (Zainullah 32, Ahmed Tariq 21, Tharindu Perera 22Zee, Aftab Javed 131n.o, Zeeshan Naseer 2 for 81) Z Games Strikers 259 in 42. 4 overs (Alishan Sharafu 29, Lovepreet Bajwa 106, Ahaan Fernandes 34, Yash Sabnani 21, Lahiru Sandaruwan 3 for 38, Muhammad Irfan 2 for 39, Yousafza 3 for 63)
Player of the Match: Aftab Javed