In a thrilling culmination of the first-ever T20 Multination Challengers Trophy, Team Pakistan emerged victorious, showcasing their cricket prowess in a nail-biting final against Team Nepal. The tournament, a crucial addition to Queensland Cricket's multicultural strategy, that is being backed by Cricket Australia and the Australian government. Building on the success of the Nations Cup tapeball tournament held last April, the Multination Challengers Trophy featured teams from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and Nepal.
Chermside’s 7th Brigade Park became the battleground for this historic competition, with special thanks extended to the Warehouse Cricket Association for providing the grounds for the competition. The tournament aimed to promote inclusivity and strengthen ties between diverse communities through the universal language of cricket.
The much-anticipated final between Team Nepal, organised by the Queensland Nepalese Cricket Association, and Team Pakistan, organised by the Pakistan Australian Cultural Association, unfolded at Moggill Sports Park due to a washout the previous week. Team Nepal, batting first, faced early challenges as Muhammad Zia Awan's quality bowling limited them to 4-40. However, resilient performances from Binaya Karki (18), Suman Bhujel (23), and Rabin Raj Koirala allowed Nepal to reach a competitive total of 102 in their 20 overs.
Pakistan's reply commenced strongly with opener Bilal Shah steadying the ship early with 22 runs. Despite a mid-order collapse that injected tension into the encounter, Ammar Liaqat (20) and Muhammad Bilal Bashir (15) displayed resilience to guide Pakistan to a thrilling victory, chasing down the target with just one over to spare.
Syed Asghar Naqvi, President of the Pakistan Australian Cultural Association, thanks the efforts of many that contributed towards Pakistan's team.
"Winning this inaugural competition was an incredibly emotional experience within the community. I can't thank our captain Mian Bilal enough with his efforts in managing our side, and also to Queensland Cricket for the opportunity to participate in such an amazing tournament." he said.
Despite going down in the final, Queensland Nepalese Cricket Association President Amit Lohani spoke positively on the Nepalese team’s participation in the tournament.
“The tournament was a great opportunity for us to connect to other communities to make friends and build relationships. Many of our players will remember participating in the competition for the rest of their lives” he said.
The Multination Challengers Trophy proved to be a resounding success, generating widespread engagement and enthusiasm within each participating community. Queensland Cricket expressed optimism for future editions, with plans to expand the competition by including additional teams. The event underscored the power of cricket in bringing people together and exemplified the success of Queensland Cricket's multicultural strategy in promoting unity through the spirit of the game.