TIMES REPORT
PESHAWAR: WAPDA and Punjab have qualified for the final of the 61st National Table Tennis Championship after thrilling encounters in the team event semi-finals.
In the first semi-final, WAPDA defeated Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in a competitive contest to secure their place in the final. In the second semi-final, Punjab overcame OGDCL with a 3-1 victory to advance.
Provincial Sports Minister Taj Muhammad Khan Tarand attended the event as chief guest. Also present were Director General Sports Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tashfeen Haider, Secretary of the Pakistan Table Tennis Federation Ijaz Ahmed, Vice President and Chief Organizer Kifayatullah Khan, along with other officials.
In the first semi-final, WAPDA’s senior player Asim Qureshi delivered an impressive performance, defeating KP’s Usman 3-1. WAPDA maintained dominance in subsequent matches, sealing an overall 3-0 victory to reach the final.
In the second semi-final, Punjab’s Owais defeated OGDCL’s Irtezaz 11-7, 11-9, and 11-3. OGDCL’s Hadi leveled the contest by beating Punjab’s Taimoor 12-10, 14-12, and 11-3. Punjab’s Abu Huraira then defeated Rehan 13-11, 11-4, and 11-3. In the reverse singles, Taimoor overcame Irtezaz 11-7, 11-8, and 11-9 to seal victory for Punjab.
Speaking on the occasion, the provincial minister praised the high standard of play and reiterated that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is committed to promoting sports by providing better facilities, scholarships, and cash rewards to talented players.
At the end of the event, the minister interacted with players from across the country, who appreciated his keen interest in sports.
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