Army defeated Punjab 19-14 to win the 10th National Women’s Netball Championship crown here at the LUMS on Thursday.
Both the teams played well in the first half which ended in 4-4 draw. The second half saw Punjab players struggling hard as they were two goals ahead as the score line was in favour of Punjab 8-6. The third half was full of energy as both the teams scored impressive goals but at the end of that half, Army were two goals ahead with 16-14. Army dominated the fourth half and added three more goals in their score line and did not allow Punjab team to score any goal. Thus Army won the final by 19-14. Quratul Ain, Rosalba and Umama Qadri performed really well for Army while Barka Lodhi, Bisma and Ghazala were top performers for Punjab. Quratul Ain was named best player of the final.
IOC member in Pakistan and Punjab Olympic Association President Syed Shahid Ali graced the occasion as a chief guest. Pakistan Netball Federation secretary Mudassar Arain, Punjab Netball Association president Syed Shaharyar Ali, Secretary Chuadhry Rizwan and Punjab Olympic Association Secretary Khawaja Idrees Haider were also present there. Chief guest Syed Shahid Ali gave away winning trophy to Army, runners-up trophy to Punjab third place trophy to HEC. PNA president Syed Shaharyar Ali gave away spirit of netball trophy to LUMS, fair play trophy to LGS and also gave away best goal shooter award to Umama Qadri (Army), best goal attacker award to Quratul Ain (Army), best wing attacker award to Rahma Shahid (LGS), best centre award to Ghazala (Punjab), best wing defender award to Rooma Abbas (HEC), best goal defender award to Tehniyat (Sindh), best goalkeeper award to Wajeha (Punjab) and best technical official award to Miss Shazia Yousuf.
Meanwhile, PNA secretary Chaudhry Rizwan informed the reporters that they had selected 20 girls from this championship who would play against Indian netball team which was coming to Pakistan next month to play five-match series. After that series, Pakistan will go to India to play a series.
