RAWALPINDI - Punjab girls won the 11th National Women Softball Championship after remaining unbeaten right throughout the event which was played on singles league basis at Pindi Cricket Stadium from 18th to 20th.
Punjab attained top position by grabbing 8 points, after winning all their four matches. Second position was grabbed by KPK, who secured 6 points while third position went to minnows Balochistan, who secured 2 points. Defending champions Sindh had to settled for 4th position after losing three matches in the event and winning just 1 while Islamabad remained at 5th and last place on offer. Police team didn't turn up for the championship.
On the third and last day of the championship two matches were played. In the first match, KPK beat Islamabad by 5 runs. KPK managed to score 11 runs in three innings while Islamabad could only managed to score 6 runs. In the second and last match of the championship, Punjab narrowly beat Balochistan. Punjab managed to score 6 runs while Balochistan could only score 2 runs. Sabahaat Rasheed of Punjab was declared best batter as she scored 7 runs in the entire event while Saida also from Punjab grabbed best pitcher award. Member Provincial Assembly, Chaudhry Sarfraz Afzal, who is also Parliamentary Secretary Sports, was the chief guest on the prize distribution ceremony.
While talking to The Nation, Sindh team skipper Kiran Khan said it was a very disappointing event for as they had prepared well but absence of four key players including regular captain cost them dearly. She said injury to our key player in the match against KPK was the main difference between championship and lowly 4th place.
“We were leading 10-0, but our batter was got a nasty hit on her head and she fell unconscious and is is still admitted in the hospital. Our focus shifted from the matches and we were very concerned about her health. Now her scans are quite satisfactory but we still don't know whether doctors permit her to travel back or somebody from us had to drop out and stay with her in the hospital. Our international player Heeba, who is vastly experienced and played for national team as well in Sri Lanka and other countries, could not come with the team along with Ayesha and others, who were giving annual exams.”
Irum said though Sindh team has got a separate ground recently was in Hyderabad but they need international standard coaches who could work with them. “If federation provides us with an experienced coach, I can assure we have the abilities and guts to excel in international events and return with laurels. We would not sit back and mourn our defeat. We would more focus on our flaws and try to win back our lost title,” Irum concluded.