PIA signs Maaez Veqar (Drexel) to a Contract !
American College Cricket has built a runway so our players, with their talent & hardwork, can take off & fly. Accordingly we are pleased to announce that Drexel University’s Maaez Veqar has signed a Contract to play for renowned First Class team, PIA (Pakistan International Airways), next season. This means that Maaez could potentially go on to be the 1st American College Cricket player to play Test Cricket .In Maaez’s words :
“I went back home for 6 months, pursuing cricket as a career. I went to the academy to give my trials for PIA and showed enough skill for them to send a scout to see me play in a match. I scored a Fifty in that practice game, and was included in the list A squad for 2016. Due to injury, I could not take part in the tournament but I am officially contracted with them and will represent PIA in the future.
This is one step in climbing the ladder as I continue to work hard to achieve my dream of representing my country one day.”
Maaez Veqar led Drexel on a magnificent run in 2015. The team won the ‘Spirit of Cricket’ Award for the galland way they played at the 2015 American College Cricket National Championship in March. What a magnificent display of leadership in taking a young team that had not even won a Regional Championship to the Finals of the National Championship. A rain affected schedule resulted in his team playing a Quarter Final, Semi Final then the Final on the small day – Maaez’s team gave an effort that it would be difficult to find a match for any where in the cricketing world !
In the Fall of 2015, Drexel won the Mid Atlantic Championship, then in March 2016 Drexel reached the Semis, losing on Duckworth Lewis to U of South Florida, who went on to win.
Statistically Maaez has scored 1,002 Runs in American College Cricket, in 29 Innings with 7 Not Outs with an Average of 45.46. He scored 7 Fitfties, and 3 Centuries with a Highest score of 149* in a Home & Away match.
He also bowls and took 46 Wickets, with a Best of figure of 4 for 18. He also said :
“Thank you Lloyd Jodah for the message and also for giving us a platform in American College Cricket! I made the best memories of my college experience at ACC tournaments and for that I’ll be always grateful!”
Maaez returned to play in this year’s American College Cricket National Championship, and for his graduation in June, with a degree in Business Administration (with a concentration in Marketing).
“Maaez has been an awesome American College Cricket leader & player. His chosen path is the epitome of one of our goals, which is to provide a platform, where students can get their education whilst playing highly competitive, high profile cricket. We wish him the best and will follow and support his career enthusiastically,” said Lloyd Jodah, Founder & President of American College Cricket.
