WAPDA clinch Quaid-i-Azam Basketball Championship

LAHORE—Wapda put up brilliant show in final three minutes to beat favourites Pakistan Railways in close finish 78-77 in the final of All Pakistan Quaid-i-Azam Gold Cup Flood-lit Basketball Tournament here on Sunday at Railways stadium.
WAPDA were down for three quarters and for most of the fourth quarter. They were trailing 36-46 at half way stage, but picked up the pace in closing minutes to turn the tide. Their main scorer were Ahmed Jan and Ali Ja with 15 and 14 points respectively while Allah Bux’s 40 points for Railways went in vain. Earlier, Pakistan Air Force brushed aside Wah’s Pakistan Ordnance Factory to win bronze medal.
The chief guest of the Match was Asad Saeed, General Manager (Operations), Pakistan Railways. Also present on this occasion were Pakistan Railways Sports Board (PRSB)’s Vice President Muhammad Irfan Gauhar, Secretary Saeed Iqbal Khan, Naseem Butt, Secretary, Pakistan Basketball Federation (PBF).
The chief guest awarded winning trophy to WAPDA’s skipper Shahid Ali during concluding ceremony while Railway’s captain Liaquat Ali got runner-up trophy. Top three teams also received medals. While talking on this occasion, Irfan Gauhar said that PRSB will continue to support basketball and their cooperation will remain with PBF. He added that PRSB is looking forward hosting the National Championship at the same venue.
Teams : WAPDA : Shahid Ali, Amir Iqbal, Jahangir Ahmed, Siddiq Bilal, Shahryar, Ahmed Jan, Muhammad Akhter, Ali Ja, Adnan, Sharafat Ali, Asad Mehmood, Adeel Khan Railways : Liaquat Ali (C), Allah Bux, Umair Ayub, Azhar Qayyum, Mehmood Ahmed, Imran Shah, Muhammad Mehmood, Muhammad Nawaz, Tanveer Ahmed, Sanat Ullah, Khurram Ali, Shahzad Ahmed Referees: Tahir Bashir, Farooq Pasha

—Agencies