These events, held under the auspices of Pakistan Cricket Board, were National Under-17 Cricket Championship and National Under-15 Cricket Championship.

LRCA’s this achievement, no doubt, is a good omen not only for Lahore Regional cricket but also for the Pakistan cricket as Lahore, being country’s leading nursery of this game since creation of Pakistan, is still producing future stars of Pakistan and making all efforts to promote and develop cricket at the grassroot level.

There is proverb or saying “Catch them Young”.

The saying emphasises the importance of a child’s formative years and how and whatever happens at this early stage has a bearing in a child’s later years.

Lahore, besides Karachi, has been Pakistan’s major cricketing nursery since the creation of Pakistan. Whether it was club/ association level or school/college level Lahore provided Pakistan a lot many world class cricketers. Former Pakistan cricketers and captains Abdul Kardar, Fazal Mahmood, Imtiaz Ahmed during the formative years of Pakistan cricket came to limelight as students and club players from Lahore at the early age and later on Shafqat Rana, Majid Khan, Imran Khan, Wasim Raja, Ramiz Raja, Muhammad Ilyas, Abdul Qadir Azmat Rana, Salim Malik, Aamir Sohail, Ashraf Ali, Saeed Anwar Wasim Akram, to name a few, were also Lahore’s products for Pakistan at the young age.

Irrespective of cricketing differences and who was at the helm of Lahore cricket affairs all the cricket associations at District/Divisional/ regional level associations from Dr Jehangir Khan, Chaudhry Muhammad Hussain, Captain Naseer, Shjuauddin Siddiqui, Ijaz Butt, Aamer Hayat Khan Rokhri, Khawaja Nadeem Ahmad, Shahraiz Rokhri and now Khawaja Nadeem Ahmad have always been determined to encourage youngsters, particularly teenagers, to see that Lahore, as hub and heart of cricket, continues to provide Pakistan future world class cricketers through talent-hunt and the grooming of the youngsters.

As such it is a good omen that the present Lahore Region Cricket Association, have maintained past traditions and moving on the footsteps of its predecessors, picked the best under-17 and Under-15 squads which emerged ultimate winners and won laurels for Lahore.

One hopes to see some future national stars emerging from this lot which will be a great contribution and Lahore’s share towards Pakistan cricket in days to come.

Now coming to Lahore’s winning the prestigious two titles of National Junior Cricket Championship it was no less astounding and praiseworthy achievement from the Lahore lads who by all means justified their inclusion and selection in the squads by emerging champions of two national competitions. It may be further added that Lahore Region Blues lifted the National Under-15 Championship trophy by thrashing Rawalpindi Region by 8 wickets in a one-sided final.

Mahad Ali, with a brilliant and match-winning unbeaten knock of 86 remained outstanding for Lahore easily chased down a 154-run target set by Potohar side.

Azan Ahmed had remained top- scorer with 84 runs. Muhammad Ihsan had picked up two wickets for Lahore to be emerge as main-wicket-taker. Moreover Mahad Ali, named as man of the match of the final, also earned the best batsman of tournament award with aggregate score of 555 runs.

In addition Muhammad Ihsan of Lahore Region Blues was also declared best bowler of the tournament with 20 wickets to his credit. No doubt the LRCA lads had achieved an historic milestone.

LRCA’s other junior string i.e. Lahore Region Under-17 Blues were also no less impressive as they too were crowned National Under-17 champions after outplaying Karachi Region Whites by 5 wickets in the final. It was as a result of all-round performance and teamwork of Lahore U-17s that earned them the rare feat for Lahorites.

It were Lahore’s Taj Muhammad 3/24, Ibtisam Azhar 3/26, Arham Danish 2/12 and Ali Usman Khan 2/38 who dismissed Karachi to 135 in 37.2 overs before their teammates Khawaja Hamid 40, Naqeeb Ullah 31, Shafiullah 29 did the rest with the bat to make LRCA proud with another feather to their crown and also making Lahore Region cricket chief Khawaja Nadeem and his dedicated team of workers further happier with yet another historic milestone.

With National T20 Cup Cricket Championship still on in the country, it is hoped that the Lahore teams also fare better in this event to keep this region’s image high.