LAHORE: The Jinnah Icon Team emerged as national champions at the end of the trials here at Lahore Gymkhana on Tuesday and will represent represent Pakistan in the 21st Bridge Federation of Asia and Middle East (BFAME) Bridge Championship being held in Dubai later this year.

Finalists of the trials were Islamabad’s Jinnah Icon Team comprising Arsalan Mansoor, Yasser Rahim, Khalid Mohiuddin and Mubashir Puri and they were up against the juvenile PANGEA Team embodying Multan-based players like Muhammed Imran, Mudassir Rahim, Muhammed Ali Yasir and Aamir Ishaque.

Out of the final four rounds one round was played late on Monday evening and three on Tuesday and though Jinnah Icon surfaced as the top team of the National Trials, PANGEA Team managed to withstand the enormous strength of the Jinnah Icon Team and it was only in the last round of the final day that Jinnah Icon enhanced their winning margin through ingenious moves that led to the defeat of PANGEA Team.

As for the seniors team the already selected team comprises Masood Mazhar, Kamran Ibrahim, Azher Hameed, Zakir Mehmood, Iftikhar Baqai and Ghalib Bandesha.

Also selected is the Mixed Team consisting of Amir Ishaq Sardar, Abida Rizvi, Ahsan Javed Qureshi, Mudassir Rahim, Rubina Agha, Samira Fancy and Zia Hyder Naqvi.

At the conclusion of the national trials the certificates of merit and souvenirs were awarded to the winners and the runners-up by Sarmad Nadeem, Convenor Card Room and Ghalib Bandesha President of Lahore Bridge. Ihsan Qadir served as the Chief Referee.

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2021