AMMAN: Pakistan Seniors won the bridge title by beating arch-rival India but their women’s squad went down fighting to Jordan in the final of the Bridge Federation of Asia and Middle East (BFAME) Championship at Petra Ball Room of Regency Palace Hotel here on Wednesday evening.

Pakistan Seniors produced an outstanding show in the final to beat Indian team, which had remained virtually unbeaten in the round-robin league, by 81-63 International Match Points (IMPs).

Pakistan Seniors team with Captain Tariq Rasheed Khan-Parvez Mirza playing in open room and Rashid-ul-Ghazi and Ghaffar Qureshi in a closed room, recorded 0-8, 43-41, 38-14 victory in the 32-board final. 

Rawalpindi pair of Khalid Javed-Saeed Akhtar, who secured 13th spot in the Worldwide Bridge, were rested in the final.

‘It’s definitely a big win for us because the Indians were very consistent throughout. Tactically our team played smartly with fine hands and bidding. The whole squad deserves credit for victory,’ Team Leader Tariq Rasheed said.

The Indian team, despite having seasoned players like R.A. Agrwal, S.K. Iyengar, S.K. Lal, V.M. Poddar Dipak, Ashok Kumar Ruia, and Sridharan in their line-up, failed to match Pakistan veterans’s brilliant skills in the final.

Meanwhile, Pakistan women’s team achieved their objective of qualifying for the Venice Cup but was still outplayed by defending champion Jordan, suffering defeat by 80-44 IMPs as the hosts won the Vindodini Goenka Trophy.

Jordan women’s team comprising Yasmin Abu Jaber, Huda Al-Saket, May Abu Gharbieh, Azza Qashu, Hana Kredeieh and Randa Saket maintained their country’s domination by retaining the crown they last won in Karachi in 2007.

Pakistan’s runners-up team included Rubina Agha, Zeenat Azwer, Fizza Adamjee, Qudsia Doosa and Najma Abid.

In the Open team event, host Jordan cruised into the semifinals after thrashing Sri Lanka by 23-7 thus denying Bangladesh a place in the last four rounds by bare difference of one Victory Point. As expected holder India, Pakistan and Syria qualified for the last four grade.

Pakistan Open team had a mixed final league round day, beating Syria 17-13, Bangladesh 16-14 by suffered a massive 5-25 loss to India.

After struggling in the first four day, Indian climbed on the top with a massive 340.4 VPs and Pakistan was second at 307.5 VPs. Syria Got exactly 300 VPs and last qualifier Jordan secured last and fourth spot with 266 VPs.—APP