ISLAMABAD, April 26: The 16th National Women’s Basketball Championship will begin here on Friday at the Hamidi Hall of the Pakistan Sports Complex.

The championship is being organised by the Pakistan Basketball Federation (PBF) in collaboration with the Higher Education Commission (HEC), said a press release issued by the HEC.

As many as seven teams — Wapda, Islamabad, Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Railways and HEC — will compete for the top honours.

Wapda will defend their title which they won last year at the Railways Stadium in Lahore after defeating Islamabad in the final.

The participating teams have been divided into two groups. Group ‘A’ has defending champions Wapda, HEC and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa while Islamabad, Railways, Sindh and Punjab are bracketed in Group ‘B.’

The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals which will be played on April 30 while the final is scheduled for May 1.

Islamabad will take on Punjab in the opening match.

Federal secretary Anis-ul-Hasnain Mousavi of the Inter-provincial Coordination Ministry will be the chief guest at the opening ceremony.—Sports Reporter