Pakistan’s football league grows, Women’s league mourns for Misha Dawood
Pakistan has often been in the headlines of world news and the news has not always been positive.
However, the country has been heading towards a major shift and there has been an improvement all around especially in the sports department of the nation where the cricket crazy nation is seeing a rejuvenation of sorts in their favourite sport. But that is not the only place where changes are taking place. Other sports like football, basketball, tennis and volleyball have been witnessing a major renaissance.
The FIFA 2010 World Cup created an unprecedented hype in Asia and Pakistan. Though their team wasn’t part of the World Cup and they are ranked 172, the passion present in the nation is clearly visible.
For instance the support for football in the Northern areas of the country is remarkable and the fans present in the heart of the country, Punjab avidly prepared for the world event. The excitement in the south of the country wasn’t low either and in the former capital of the country, Karachi the anticipation for each match was high enough to jam internet traffic.
Places all over the country had set out humongous screens for public viewing of the event and became hotspots, especially in Islamabad (the capital), Lahore and Karachi. In Lyari football fever reach red hot temperatures. Most of the Pakistani crowds were cheering for Brazil. Lyari and the Northern areas of Pakistan account for a number of players on the Pakistani football team.
Also, the launch of the Geo Super Football League in the nation has become intensely popular. This happens to be the country’s first Inter City Tournament and was started in 2007. There is already the ongoing Pakistan Premier League, which is on a different scale from the SFL.
The teams are from Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, Peshawar and Quetta. This time Karachi and Quetta are in the final. Thousands of youngsters entered in the trial period of the league which clearly shows football is a fast growing passion in Pakistan.
The enthusiasm for football is definitely increasing in the country and that is not just the case with the men but the women too. While teams and leagues for men are mushrooming all around the country the women aren’t lagging behind.
The 6th National Women’s Championship is about to start in Pakistan and many professional players participate in it. Women from all over the country step up to play in the tournament and unfortunately one of them was a passenger on a plane that recently crashed in Islamabad.
The tragic plane crash on the 28th July has left the whole nation in sorrow. The government even announced the proceeding day as an official day of mourning. The Air Blue flight 202 was an Airbus 320 and all 152 on-board died.
Misha Dawood was a footballer and she was travelling to Islambad to participate in the Championship. She played for Diya Women’s Football Club and was considered among the rising talents of Pakistan. She was known to be an energetic and passionate footballer. Earlier she had put on a great performance at the National Women Club Championship held in Karachi.
Originally the player, studying in the Karachi Grammar School was supposed to be travelling abroad to join her parents and sibling for vacations but the 19-year old’s dedication to football drove her to the tournament.
The captain of her team Sadia Sheikh has commented on the tragedy saying, “It’s difficult to think that Misha is no more. She was a fine all-rounder, who had no qualms about playing in any position I would place her in”.
Rubina Irfan, the head of Women’s Pakistan Football Federation has stated, “Misha was a talented footballer who wanted very much to take part in the championship”. She added, “Misha had a flair for this game and loved it very much. This tragedy has put us all in the most painful position”.
Rubina also informed Misha had been selected for the senior national team, “Misha was a future star of Pakistan and one can judge this from her passion for the game. She was studying abroad and yet she wanted to help her team win the championship”.
Tags: