Strong Peshawar led by super-star players Maliaka and Sadaf Riaz guided Peshawar to 13-9 victory in the final of the Inter-Divisional Women Tchoukball Championship played at hilly resort Batakindi Youth Hostel here on Friday.
Both Maliaka and Sana along with other supporting players including Iqra, Ayseha, Muneeba, Alveena, Sadia, Sana and Asiya played a key role against strong Dera Ismail Khan team in the thrilling final played on hotly note wherein both teams played attacking game.
There were four quarters, 10-minute of each quarter both Peshawar and Dera Ismil Khan players exhibited an attacking display which was largely enjoyed by the sitting spectators of other teams with their cheering hands.
Regional Sports Officer Hazara Ahmad Zaman, Chairman Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tchoukball Association Wajid ul Hassan, President Muhammad Iqbal, Secretary Abur Rasheed Anwar, team coaches Najma Qazi of Peshawar and Miss Saeeda of Dera Ismail Khan were also there and witnessed the thrilling final.
Peshawar was leading the first quarter but failed to click in the second and third quarters led by Dera Ismial Khan players with their attacking game. The Dera Ismail Khan team including Rana, Saba, Bakhtawar, Aamina, Sadaf Riaz, Zubia and Huraira played well and gave a tough resistance to the strong Peshawar team.
Dera Ismail Khan led the second and third quarters but later on Peshawar staged a strong comeback with some fine combined passes and not only tied the tally 9-9, 12-12 but also won the match by 16-12. Maliaka and Sana played very well and were the main shooters.
On the other hand Dera Ismail Khan’s Rana and Sadaf Riaz, the two main shooters with Iqra and Zubia tried their hardest to level the tally but they were not allowed by the tightly marking Peshawar team to shoot.
In the third position match Hazara defeated Malakand by 13-9 in another thrilling match. For Hazara international Sadia and Rimsha played attacking games and were the main shooters. Both played well along with other team-mates including Areesha, Rabia, Saba, Salma. Hazara is on the card a very good team but in the semi-final Dera Ismail Khan upset them and thus Hazara playing for the third position match against Malakand.
Malakand also played well in the Championship and recorded victories against Mardan, Bannu and Kohat teams. Malakand players including Rania, Farishta, Arfa, Jannatul Mawa and Mariyum and Areesha played well and contributed some good attacking game with some fine shooting were also witnessed.
Right from the outset of the third position match, Hazara was leading the score tally. Malakand got a lead in the third quarter and raced up to 7-9 but it was the last quarter in which Hazara played well and not only tied the tally 9-9 but also won the match by 13-9.
At the end of the matches, RSO Hazara Ahmad Zaman Khan, DSO Mansehra Ghulam Mustafa, Chairman KP Tchoukball Association Waji Uz Hassan, Abdur Rashid Anwar and President Muhammad Iqbal distributed cash prizes and trophies among the position holders.
In his brief chat, Ahmad Zaman announced to hold the national championship soon after Eid at Nathiagali wherein teams from all provinces would take part.
