CM summer games Badminton, volleyball finals to be played today

LAHORE:A thrilling third day at the Chief Minister Punjab Summer Games Inter-Division phase set the stage for high-stakes badminton and volleyball finals as competition intensified across venues at Nishtar Park Sports Complex (NPSC).

In men’s badminton, Lahore and Rawalpindi stormed into the title match with strong performances in the league stages, while the girls’ final will feature a showdown between Bahawalpur and Gujranwala, who stunned pre-tournament favorites Faisalabad with a dominant 3-0 display. Faisalabad and Sahiwal emerged as the finalists in boys’ volleyball, both teams showcasing grit and control. Faisalabad edged past Gujranwala in a tight 2-1 win (26-24, 25-23, 25-22), while Sahiwal earlier made headlines by toppling volleyball heavyweights Lahore.

In kabaddi, the leaderboard heated up with Lahore, Faisalabad, and DG Khan tied at four points each. The match of the day saw Lahore narrowly defeat Sahiwal 44-40, a contest that revealed the tactical edge of Lahore’s seasoned players. Sargodha slipped past Bahawalpur 30-28, while Faisalabad routed Multan 57-35 and DG Khan overpowered Rawalpindi 50-23.

Speaking during the kabaddi proceedings, DG Sports Punjab Khizar Afzaal Chaudhry reaffirmed the board’s commitment to preserving and promoting traditional sports. “Kabaddi is part of our cultural legacy, and each kabaddi finalist will be awarded Rs1 lakh, with Rs75 lakh in total prize money being distributed among top performers.”

In girls’ hockey, DG Khan upset Rawalpindi 3-2, powered by a brace from Saima Hameed. Faisalabad edged Multan 2-1, with goals from Sehrish and Farwa sealing the victory. In the boys’ hockey category, Multan silenced Faisalabad 2-0 behind goals from Abdullah and Assad, while Rawalpindi thrashed DG Khan 4-1, led by Sikander Ali’s two-goal effort and support from Farhan Aslam and Ahmed Mustafa.