37916Although Pakistan failed to make it to the Semi’s of ICC Cricket World Cup, but the country’s lawmakers managed to bag first place in the first Inter-Parliamentary Cricket World Cup in London on Friday.
The four day tournament began on Tuesday with lawmakers from six countries on the field. Teams from Pakistan, England, Australia, New Zealand, India, Bangladesh and Afghanistan took part in the tournament.
From Pakistan, the event was represented by 25 members of parliament, led by Makhdoom Zain Hussain Qureshi, son of Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
The final match went down between Pakistan and Bangladesh after other countries failed to advance through in the tournament.
The moment that tournament organiser @chhcalling presents the winners medal to the captain of the winning side in the #IPCWC, @TheRealPCB parliamentary side skipper @ZainHQ pic.twitter.com/Gz9Ahyy7DS
— IPCWC (@IPCWC) July 12, 2019
The Bangladesh parliamentary team managed to score 104 runs at the loss of eight wickets in the first innings. Pakistan won the match thanks to Federal Minister for Kashmir affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, Ali Amin Khan Gandapur, who scored 52 runs and remained not out. Pakistan still had 8 wickets to spare and nine overs left.
But the announcement of a 25 member team drew criticism on social media with people complaining that despite the heavy taxation imposed by the PTI government, it was sending parliamentarians’ team to London. In turn National Assembly Secretariat issued a statement saying that the expenses of transportation to the UK, accommodation and other costs were borne by the team members and the managerial staff.
The team was selected by the Pakistan Cricket Board and former finance minister Asad Umar congratulated the parliamentary team on their victory on twitter stating the lawmakers went on their own cost.
Congratulations to the Pakistani parliamentary cricket team for winning the first parliamentary cricket world cup, beating Bangladesh in the final by 9 wickets. By the way they went to participate paying for their expenses not at tax payers cost
— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) July 13, 2019
