After four days of mental tackling, intelligence oriented interceptions and spirited application of bridge playing strategies, The Jinnah Icon Team qualified to wear the National colours and represent Pakistan in the BFAME – 21st Bridge Federation of Asia and Middle East Bridge Championship to be held in Dubai, UAE during 2021.
Finalists of the trials were the Jinnah Icon Team of Islamabad comprising of bridge playing connoisseurs like Arsalan Mansoor, Yasser Rahim, Khalid Mohiuddin and Mubashir Puri. They were up against the juvenile PANGEA Team embodying Multan based players like Muhammed Imran, Mudassir Rahim, Muhammed Ali Yasir and Aamir Ishaque.
The PANGEA Team had surprised the dozens of the game by ousting all opposition and reaching the finals. Out of the final four rounds one round was played late on Monday evening and three on Tuesday and though Jinnah Icon surfaced as the top team of the National Trials, the young PANGEA Team managed to withstand the enormous strength of the Jinnah Icon Team and it was only in the last round of the final day that Jinnah Icon enhanced their winning margin through ingenious moves that led to the defeat of the PANGEA Team.
The Captain of Jinnah Icon Team Arsalan Mansoor admitted that PANGEA Team really gave them a fright through exceptional play. The Jinnah Icon Team are now the national bridge champions and will take on world class opposition in the Bridge Federation of Asia and Middle East Championship in the middle of December in Dubai.
As for the seniors team the already selected team comprises of Masood Mazhar, Kamran Ibrahim, Azher Hameed, Zakir Mehmood, Iftikhar Baqai and Ghalib Bandesha.
Also selected is the Mixed Team consisting of Amir Ishaq Sardar, Abida Rizvi, Ahsan Javed Qureshi, Mudassir Rahim, Rubina Agha, Samira Fancy and Zia Hyder Naqvi.
At the conclusion of the national trials the certificates of merit and souvenirs were awarded to the winners team and runners up team by Sarmad Nadeem, Convenor Card Room and Ghalib Bandesha President of Lahore Bridge. Ihsan Qadir served as the Chief Referee.
