AFZAL JAVED

ISLAMABAD: Defending champion Wapda secured the National Women’s Basketball Championship title once again, defeating a strong Pakistan Army team 38-33 in a thrilling encounter at the Wapda Sports Complex on Monday.

Eight teams participated in the five-day championship, including Pakistan Wapda, Karachi, Faisalabad, Islamabad, Pakistan Army, Lahore, Hazara, and Bahawalpur. The event was organized by the Pakistan Basketball Federation (PBBF).

The closing ceremony was attended by General Manager of Wapda Sports, Imdad Ullah Memon, who was the chief guest, alongside Secretary General of the Pakistan Basketball Federation (PBBF), Khalid Bashir, and other dignitaries.

Wapda dominated the first half of the final, preventing their opponents from mounting any significant challenge. They took a commanding 12-point lead by halftime, with a score of 27-15.

In the second half, Pakistan Army fought hard to close the gap but was unable to overcome Wapda’s lead. The final score was 38-33 in favor of Wapda.

Key players for Wapda, Hijab Fatima and Kainat Zafar, played crucial roles in retaining the championship title. Hijab scored 12 points, while Kainat added 10 points. For Pakistan Army, Fajar Fatima was the top scorer with 9 points, followed by Aysha Dilashad and Kashifa Noreen, who both scored 8 points each.

In the third-place match, Lahore triumphed over favorites Karachi, securing a dominant 48-23 victory. Lahore led the match by 21 points at halftime, with a score of 33-12. Khadija Mushtaq and Aimen Mehmood led the scoring for Lahore, both contributing 13 points each.

The closing ceremony also featured the distribution of prizes, with General Manager of Wapda Sports, Imdad Ullah Memon, and Secretary General of the Pakistan Basketball Federation, Khalid Bashir, presenting awards to the players.