PESHAWAR, February 3, 2025 - Sports journalists, known for covering on-field stories, had the rare opportunity to showcase their own skills on the cricket field during a friendly match at the Hayatabad Cricket Stadium. Journalists from Rawalpindi, Islamabad, and Peshawar participated in the game, dressed in the colors of Lahore Qalandars and Peshawar Zalmi, delivering an impressive performance.
The match, part of the Dosti Media Cup, saw the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Sports Writers Association defeat the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Sports Journalists Association by 71 runs. KP Sports Writers' captain, Asim Shiraz, won the toss and elected to bat first, setting a challenging total of 206 runs for the loss of 4 wickets in the allotted 15 overs. Muhammad Yousuf led the charge with a brilliant unbeaten knock of 115 runs, supported by Shahid Afridi’s 53 and Arshad Yousafzai’s 12 runs.
In response, the Rawalpindi-Islamabad team managed 135 runs in 15 overs. Javed Khan top-scored with 43 runs, followed by Mohsin Ali with 19 and Ayaz Akbar with 14. For KP, Irshad Ali and Bilal Afridi took 2 wickets each, while Shahid Afridi and Amjad Khan secured 1 wicket each.
President PSWF Amjad Aziz Malik has been introduced with the RISJS players (Photo by Shah Zamin Khan)
The prize distribution ceremony featured prominent figures, including AIPS General Secretary and Pakistan Sports Writers Federation President Amjad Aziz Malik, and Khyber Union of Journalists President Kashifuddin Syed. They were joined by Peshawar Press Club General Secretary Tayyab Usman and Khyber Union of Journalists Secretary Irshad Ali.
Malik emphasized the significance of the event, stating that the match not only promoted camaraderie among sports journalists but also provided them with much-needed recreational activity alongside their professional responsibilities.
The next match of the Dosti Media Cup is scheduled to be held in Islamabad.
