KARACHI: Fancied Wapda will defend its crown when the KPT National Women’s Volleyball Championship gets into action at the KPT Sports Complex on Thursday.

Wapda is among eight teams that will vie for honours in the four-day contest which concludes on Sunday.

All the outstation teams have arrived here and practiced at the venue on Wednesday. The draws of the event were finalised at team manager’s meeting.

The teams have been divided into two groups which are as follows.

A: Wapda, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh.

B: HEC, Army, Balochistan, Punjab.

Top two teams from both the groups will qualify for the semi-finals that will be played on Saturday.

Sindh Volleyball Association (SVA) president Shah Naeem Zafar said that elaborate arrangements have been made to organise the event in a befitting manner which is being held here for the first time.

According to draws, six matches are on card for the opening day.

He said KPT chairman retired Vice Admiral Shafqar Javed, who is also chairman of the SVA, will formally inaugurate the event at 4pm.

Meanwhile, Shafia has been appointed captain of the Sindh team in the event. Farah Khan has been named as her deputy.

Other members of the team are Farah Naz, Mehwish, Yasmeen, Ayesha Ayub Fatima, Maha, Shazia, Naima, Komal, Shakila, Lubna Naz and Hira Khan.

Officials: Kausar Kamran (manager), Ayesha Erum (assistant Manager), Nomanuddin (coach).

Thursday’s fixtures:

Azad Kashmir v Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at 10am; Balochistan v Punjab at 11am; Wapda v Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at 12noon; HEC v Balochistan at 1pm; Azad Kashmir v Sindh at 4pm; Army v Punjab at 5pm.

Published in Dawn September 1st, 2016