KARACHI, July 15: The 17-member Pakistan under-16 girls’ netball squad that had gone to Brisbane, Australia, to feature in the five-day Southern Skies Tournament, returned to Karachi on Monday.

The high school competition, which ran from July 6 to 11, saw Pakistan securing the 13th position after its various encounters with other girls’ school teams in the event including New Zealand’s St Kentigern College, South Africa’s St Andrew School, and All Hallows School and Moreton Bay College of Australia.

Umama Qadri of City School was declared one of the ‘All Star Players’ of the tournament.

The squad comprising girls from several schools of Karachi was received at the Quaid-i-Azam International Airport by officials of the Pakistan Netball Federation (PNF).

Although Pakistan lost most of their matches in the tournament by huge margins, the PNF president, Capt Zafar Iqbal Awan (retd), said it was still good exposure for the girls.

“Such tours prove helpful in promoting netball among school children in Pakistan,” he added.

The Southern Skies Tournament annually organises simultaneous competitions of football, hockey and rugby besides netball for young players from all over the world.

The other countries which participated in the event this year, besides Pakistan and hosts Australia, were New Zealand, South Africa, England, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Chinese Taipei and Japan.