ISLAMABAD, May 15: Pakistan finished sixteenth out of sixteen in the Junior Fed Cup Asia Oceania Qualifying Round after being beaten 2-0 by Sri Lanka on the final day of the competition in Bangkok. It was a miserable end for the Pakistani girls who lost to all of the six nations they played against during the course of the tournament.

The Sri Lankans who went into the match having beaten Pakistan earlier in a pool fixture, took the lead through Jithme Jayaviekrema whose opponent Aamna Hameed retired after being down 2-5.

Then Nilupul Gonasekera swept aside Pakistan's top player Sarah Mahboob 6-1, 6-2. Fortunately for the national team the doubles was not played because of searing heat.

The performance of the team went to show that a lot needs to be done by the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) which of late has only been making false claims.

The side played 16 matches against six countries and could not win even a single one. Perhaps the only high point for the Pakistanis was the London-based Aamna Hameed winning the solitary set for her side out of 32 sets the team played.

Opinion

Editorial

A difficult story
Updated 12 Jun, 2026

A difficult story

Unless productivity becomes the dominant target of economic policy, Pakistan will continue to oscillate between crises and fragile recovery.
Rough waters
12 Jun, 2026

Rough waters

AMONGST the key potential triggers for fresh conflict in South Asia is water. The Indian state is behaving in an...
Politicised football
12 Jun, 2026

Politicised football

ALMOST three-and-half years since Lionel Messi led Argentina to FIFA World Cup glory, the latest edition of...
GB polls’ aftermath
Updated 11 Jun, 2026

GB polls’ aftermath

The new administration must address the region’s issues proactively.
Peace in retreat
11 Jun, 2026

Peace in retreat

THE ceasefire announced in April was supposed to create space for negotiations. Instead, it has been repeatedly...
A few good men
11 Jun, 2026

A few good men

IT was a brave move, no doubt. This Tuesday, in the land of the Afghan Taliban, a few good men decided to take a...