KARACHI, April 23 Karachi Sports Forum in collaboration with Sports Department, Government of Sindh, and the local Saddar Town organised a function to honour the Karachi regional women's cricket team at the Karachi Gymkhana Club here on Friday.

The Karachi team put on outstanding performance throughout the domestic tournaments organised by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Women's Wing earlier this year. A young team, they were the surprise finalists in the National U-19 Women's Cricket Championship as well as the 5th National Women's Cricket Championship where they lost to a much-stronger ZTBL team.

The team's vice captain Rabiya Shah, besides scoring one century and two half centuries, also dismissed six players behind the wickets while another team member, Shumaila Qureshi, took 17 wickets in the final round that was played in Multan.

Rabiya was also named player of the tournament, being the highest scorer in the event. She is now a member of the national women's cricket team that left for the West Indies earlier on Friday to play in the ICC Women's World Twenty20 Tournament while skipper Kainat Imtiaz is one of the reserves awaiting call from the team if the need arises.

Speaking on the occasion Sindh Minister for Sports Dr Mohammad Ali Shah, the chief guest on the occasion, praised the girls as well as the people who helped in their progress including their parents, coach Tahir Mahmood, manager Huma Naz and above all PCB's Regional Women's Representative for Karachi, Mrs Naz Alam Shirazi.

“Mrs Shirazi is the person who would spend from her own pocket when gathering the girls for practice and arranging meals for them. But this time around, I offered to get her the funds from the PCB. The dedicated and honest person that she is, she even returned what was leftover after the tournaments to the board,” he said.

Dr Shah also announced Rs 5,000 each for captain Kainat Imtiaz and vice captain Rabiya Shah.

Sernior cricket commentator Munir Hussain, Chairperson Aga Khan Youth Sports Ms Shams Jiwa, Administrator Saddar Town Mukhtar Hussain, Asif Azeem of the Karachi Sports Forum and coach Farrukh Bari were also present on the occasion.