ISLAMABAD: Defending champions Army will face the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in the 14th National Men’s Netball Championship final here at Hamidi Hall of the Pakistan Sports Complex on Sunday.

In a closely-contested semi-final on Saturday, Army defeated Wapda 31-25, thanks to an outstanding performance by Army’s Zahid Iqbal who slammed 22 goals.

In the first quarter, both teams remained defensive as the 6-6 scoreline indicated. However, in the second quarter, Army played attacking game, adding seven more goals to their tally whereas Wapda could add score two.

In the third quarter, after both teams availed powerplay Army scored 14 more goals to Wapda’s 12. During the powerplay, a single score from D will be counted double while outside of the D single score will earn four points/scores.

In the fourth and final quarter, Army added four more while Wapda registered five as the former clinched the match 31-25. Wapda’s Mohammad Yawar scored 20 goals but to no avail.

In the second semi-final, PAF beat Sindh 41-27.

Mohammad Akhtar of the PAF was outstanding for the victors, scoring 36 goals. Sindh’s Faisal Awan scored 26.

A neck-and-neck tussle was witnessed in the opening quarter as the PAF just edged Sindh 8-7.

However, in the second quarter, when both teams availed powerplay, the PAF went ahead, adding 20 more goals while Sindh could struck only 10.

The PAF kept their supremacy in the last two quarters, scoring 13 goals while Sindh could add 10 and the former recorded a well-earned 41-27 victory.

On Sunday, besides the final third-position match between Sindh and Wapda will also be played.

Published in Dawn, May 24th, 2015

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