league champions had to face trouble last season and failed to defend the title.
But they received a huge boost ahead of the Challenge Cup when Saddam Hussain joined them after his contract with Dordoi ended.
PIA coach Shamim Khan was satisfied with his team’s performance despite the defeat. “I knew what my team would do in the final. Three of our players, Nasrullah, Mohammad Haji and Waseemullah, played after getting injections because of their serious injuries,” Shamim said.
“I can say that the players played better than we had expected,” he added.
He warned PIA’s management of worse results if young blood was not injected in the side. “Although we reached the final, I would like to advise PIA management to recruit young players. If they did not do that the team might further go down,” Shamim, who will go on pre-retirement leave on May 8 and will formally retire in December, said.
He worked for several years with former PIA coach Tariq Lutfi. After Lutfi’s retirement three years ago, Shamim took over the team as the head coach and despite several problems he was able to pull off encouraging results both in the Premier League and the Challenge Cup.
“In 2009 we played final of the Challenge Cup because we had young players in the side. And today we played final again with mostly colts in the side,” the coach said.
The winners were handed over a glittering trophy, gold medals and Rs250,000. The runners-up got a trophy, silver medals and Rs150,000.
The bronze medallists Army got richer by Rs75,000.
The fair-play trophy and Rs20,000 went to four-time Premier League champions WAPDA.
Besides, Rs15,000 each was given to Habib-ur-Rehman (best player, PIA), Ihsanullah (best goalie, SSGC), Mohammad Mujahid (leading scorer, four goals, PAF,), Shahid Hussain (best referee). Adnan Anjum, adjudged the best assistant referee, got Rs10,000.
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