In April of 2017, the Sindh Softball Association organised the 5th Inter-District Women Softball Championship in Khairpur. The tournament started on the 8th of April and continued on for the next two days. Our honourable chief guest, Mr Shahryar Khan Wassan, Chairman District Council Khairpur, hit the opening shot to begin the championship. Mr M. Zeeshan Merchant, General Secretary of Sindh Softball Association was present to show him the ropes.

The Participating Teams Were:

1) Hyderabad
2) Karachi
3) Khairpur
4) Larkana
5) Sukkur
6) Mirpurkhas

As the tournament began in earnest the teams began showing why they were selected to represent their districts, these were some of the best athletes of their hometowns. Many of them were rookies to the game of Softball, but they didn’t let that stop them. They showed they were here to win and the energy in the air was electric.

From the getgo, it was evident that Hyderabad was out to win, there would be no fun and games during this tournament, a stark contrast to their greatest competition in Karachi who began their first match with a very laidback attitude. Something they would come to regret as they faced the rookies from Larkana.

In a surprising turn of events, Mr Muhammad Abbas Merchant, Chairman Scoring Committee realising Larkana was without a coach and would be decimated against a team such as Karachi wouldn’t let it happen, he took the reigns of the team and gave Karachi a ferocious opposition for two innings. Chasing Karachi run for run, watching those young girls many couldn’t believe that they were rookies playing their first proper tournament. For some, this was also their very first proper match!

But whether you attribute their abilities to Mr Abbas’ rousing words of hope, or the girls own tenacity, this match was what shaped Karachi’s girls back into the team they should’ve been walking into this tournament, shaking off any rust that they’d collected while being away for a little while.

And so the final match was set, Karachi vs Hyderabad which many had predicted would happen, although for a little while it seemed uncertain for Karachi because of the nonserious attitude many of the girls had during the tournament which cost Karachi dearly at quite a few instances which made Coach Faraz Ejaz rethink many of his strategies regarding the matches they may have to play if the girls couldn’t get back on track.

As the match got underway it seemed as if Karachi had finally gotten their act together, they were taking the match somewhat seriously but the change in attitude came a little too late. Hyderabad capitalised on Karachi’s weaknesses and made sure to continue their winning streak by smoking Karachi and hitting them where it hurt. Karachi walked into the tournament with an aura of overconfidence and Hyderabad destroyed it completely to become the undisputed 5th Inter-District Champion.

Final Standings:
1st Position: Hyderabad
2nd Position: Karachi
3rd Position: Khairpur

For the award ceremony our chief guest Mr Shahryar Khan and the Sindh Softball Association’s President Mr Saleem Rajput were asked to give the players their medals and hand out the trophey’s to the respective captains of each team.