Top players to compete in junior tennis event

KARACHI: Leading junior players of the country including Sahibzada Mohammad Ali, Raza Sawani, Nauman Aftab, Hasan Faroo q, Noor-e-Mustapha, Hania Naveed and others will be participating in the inaugural McDonalds Juniors Tennis Championship, being held at Karachi Gymkhana from March 23-28, 2017.

It is a PTF Grade I event and carries prize money of Rs100,000. Events to be contested in the championship include: Juniors Singles Under 1, Juniors Doubles Under-18, Girls Singles Under-18, Junior Singles Under-16, Boys Singles Under-14, Boys Singles Under-12, Boys Singles Under-10.

All outstation main draw players will get a daily allowance Rs. 700 per day till elimination and shall be entitled to economy class railway fare. Entries can be sent to tournament director Imran Ahmed at 0300-2022506 or imrantennis01@gmail.com.—Agencies

Ton-up Hamza leads Navy to second win

KARACHI: A blistering century from Hamza Ghanchi inspired Pakistan Navy to their second victory in the KCCA Inter-departmental Cricket League here on Tuesday.

The sailors defeated Pakistan Custom MCC Preventive Services Club by two wickets in the Group ‘F’ fixture at the RLCA Gulberg Ground with Hamza blasting exactly 100 off 68 balls with the aid of 14 boundaries and two sixes.

Hamza and Owais Ahmed Rehmani, who made 71 (seven fours and two sixes), began the chase for 258 with an opening partnership of 163.

Earlier, a 10th-wicket stand of 94 between Mohammad Ali (79, 11 fours and two sixes) and Noman Afzal (29) lifted Pakistan Custom MCC Preventive Services Club to 257 all out in the 47th over.

Slow left-armer Mohammad Ilyas (4-230 and leg-spinner Moazzam Malik (3-38) shared the bowling honours.

Summarised scores:

PAKISTAN CUSTOM MCC PREVENTIVE SERVICES CLUB 257 in 46.5 overs (Mohammad Ali 79, Mohammad Wali 35, Mohammad Sufyan 33; Noman Afzal 29; Mohammad Ilyas 4-23, Moazzam Malik 3-38); PAKISTAN NAVY 258-8 in 43.1 overs (Hamza Ghanchi 100, Owais Ahmed Rehman 71, Mohammad Waqas 37; Imran Ali 2-28, Mohammad Musharraf 2-35).—Sports Reporter

Pakistan Day Basketball begins today

KARACHI: Two exhibition matches, including one for women, will mark the inauguration of Pakistan Day basketball tournament at the Arambagh floodlit court on Thursday.

According to an announcement, the women’s match will be played between the Aga Khan and Neighbourhood teams at 4.30pm.

This will be followed by the men’s match between Hyderabad and Karachi outfits at 7.30pm.

It is pertinent to mention that history will be created when women’s basketball matches takes place at the venue Women’s have never played at Arambagh in the past.

This is being done after the conversion of Arambagh into a family park by the district South administration in the recent past.

Meanwhile, six teams will vie for honours in the Pakistan Day contests for men’s which starts from Friday on the single league basis.—Sports Correspondent

Inter-district women’s softball from April 8

KARACHI: The fifth Inter-District Women’s Softball Championship will be played in Khairpur from April 8-10.

This was announced by the Sindh Softball Association (SSA) here on Wednesday presided by its chairman, Muhammad Ali Shah.

Teams from Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Mirpurkhas, Larkana and Khairpur have been invited to participate in the championship.

The event is being organised in preparation for selection of Sindh team for the upcoming Quaid-i-Azam Inter-Provincial Games and the National Softball Championship.—APP

Sherani hold Quetta in final round opener

QUETTA: Sherani held Quetta DFA to a thrilling 1-1 draw in the opening match of the final round of PPL Balochistan Football Cup at Government High School Yazdan Khan Ground here on Wednesday.

Quetta’s Yaqoob Khan scored the first goal with a header in the 40th minute which was equalised through an excellent move from inside the box by Mujeeb-ur-Rehman of Sherani during the 54th minute.

Yaqoob was declared man-of-the-match for his brilliant show.—Agencies

Run for Karachi race to be held today

KARACHI: Local athletes will rub their shoulders when Run for Karachi road race takes place at the DHA on Thursday morning.

The race is being organised by the Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) in collaboration with leading higher educational institutions to commemorate Pakistan Day.

The race will commence from the McDonalds at Sea View and culminate at Khyaban-e-Iqbal says an announcement.

The programme includes one kilometer race for kids and five and 10 km marathons. The races will start at 7.45am, 8am and 8.15am.

The provincial Minister for sports Sardar Mohammad Bakhsh Mahar will be the chief guest and give the prizes.—Sports Correspondent

Ibrahim, Noor clinch titles in ranking tennis

KARACHI: Talented Ibrahim Iltifat outplayed beat Farhan Altaf 6-3,6-3 in the final to win the men’s singles title at the 7th IC Trophy talent series ranking tennis which concluded here at Union Club on Tuesday.

Results:

Men’s singles (final): Ibrahiim Iltafat beat Farhan Altaf 6-3, 6-3.

U-17 singles (final): Noor-e-Mustafa bt Eibad Sarwar Hussain 6-1, 6-4.

U-15 singles (final): Syed Oanunddin bt Ghufran Faiz 6-2, 3-6, 10-8.

U-13 singles (final): Abdullah Imran bt Sarim Imran 8-5.

Ladies singles (final): Hania Naveed bt Urooj Iltafat 6-1, 6-0.

Soft Tennis (final): Robin Das bt Hania Naveed 5-0.

Published in Dawn, March 23rd, 2017