AFZAL JAVED /DNA

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Wapda emerged victorious in a nail-biting showdown against Pakistan Army, clinching the National Men’s Basketball Championship 2023 trophy in a riveting final at Govt College University Lahore on Friday. 

In a fiercely contested match, both teams displayed exceptional skills and tenacity, battling until the final moments. Wapda, however, seized control in the last quarter, securing a thrilling 73-70 victory. Zainul Hassan of Wapda emerged as the hero of the day, contributing a stellar performance with 28 points, while teammates M Usman and M Zahid Arif added 14 and 13 points, respectively.  

Despite a valiant effort from Army, Wapda’s dominance in the closing stages proved decisive. Tughlab Ammar led the scoring for Army with 24 points, followed by Shoaib Aslam with 19 points and Sheraz Aslam with 12 points. The officiating team of Umer Mehmood, Syed Adnan Ali, and Saadat Jehangir ensured a fair and competitive match. 

Director General Sports Board Punjab Dr. Asif Tufail was the chief guest of concluding ceremony who presenting the winning trophy to the captain of the Pakistan Wapda team. DIG Police Ghazi Muhammad Salahuddin and GCU Lahore Vice Chancellor Dr. Ahmed Adnan were the guests of honor, awarding the runner-up and third-position trophies to Pakistan Army and PAF, respectively. 

The event witnessed the presence of notable figures, including Pakistan Basketball Federation (PBBF) President Brig Muhammad Iftikhar Mansoor (R), Senior Vice President Imtiaz Rafi Butt, Secretary Khalid Bashir, National Coach Malik Muhammad Riaz, Prof Sirag ul Haq Qureshi, Din Muhammad, Waseem Akhtar, Director Media Muhammad Azam Dar, Shahid Mirza, Tajamal Riaz, and players and students of the university. 

Earlier In the third position match, Pakistan Air Force secured a convincing 90-61 victory against Lahore, claiming the third position.