ABBOTTABAD
Punjab, Pakistan Army, Pakistan Wapda and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa secured victories on the second day of the ongoing National Women Handball Championship being played with the collaboration of Pakistan Handball Federation, KP Handball Association and Regional Sports Office Abbottabad here at Kunj Football Ground on Friday.
Four matches were played on the second day of the four-day 15th National Handball Women’s Championship. Last year’s runners-up Pakistan Army presented the Higher Education Commission in an interesting contest by 47-26 goals.
Punjab defeated Gilgit-Baltistan by 47-20 in another thrilling match wherein strong Punjab dominated the proceedings. Punjab did not allow Gilgit-Baltistan in the first-half to play with free hands but it was the second session in which Gilgit-Baltistan team staged a strong comeback and scored 15 goals in the second session before scoring 5 goals in the first-half.
In the third match played between traditional rivals Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Jammu and Kashmir team. The two sides produced excellent displays with some fine goal shooting and attacking displays were also witnessed.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which conceded a big margin defeat at the hands of Higher Education Commissioner at 30-03, defeated Azad Jammu and Kashmir in an interesting and thorny manner. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa failed to click in the first-half led by Azad Jammu and Kashmir team at 7-9 but it was the second session in which Khyber Pakhtunkhwa came back strongly and marched into victory at 22-20 goal.
The Azad Jammu and Kashmir team also played well in the second session but they failed to overcome their errors, especially in the shooting department and thus lost the match very closely. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa team goal-keeper Sana also played well and safeguarded her team with some excellent goal-keeping by intercepting some sure goal scores.
In the last match of the day’s proceedings Pakistan Wapda defeated Pakistan Police by 21-20 in a thrilling match. Defending Champion Pakistan Wapda faced tough resistance at the hands of Pakistan Police players but later on won the match by a close margin 21-20.
Pakistan Police also played well and their players right in the started adopted attacking strategy. Both Pakistan Wapda and Pakistan Police were leveled 20-20 in the dying moments of the match when Wapa Kausar slammed in a beautiful goal to guide her team to a vital victory.
President of KP Handball Association, Director Sports University of Peshawar and former International Athlete Bahre Karam said that Pakistan Handball Association has taken positive steps for the promotion of Handball in the province and would try his level best to have national events for both boys and girls.
He also lauded President Pakistan Handball Federation for giving play right of holding the National Women Handball Championship and assured that all out steps have been taken for providing due facilities to the female players of eight different teams.
