Pakistan’s rising netball stars stormed into the semifinals of the Asian Youth Girls Netball Championship 2025 after a gritty 49-39 triumph over the Maldives in their final group-stage battle at South Korea’s Jeonju Hwasan Gymnasium.
In a see-saw contest, Pakistan edged ahead early 14-12, slipped slightly to trail 24-26 at halftime, but roared back to lead 35-32 after the third quarter—before finishing strong to seal the win.
Star players Leya Raza Shah, Alisha Naveed, Sumayya Kouser, Haleema, Jasmine Farooq, and Farah Rasheed powered the victory with stellar performances.
Netball Federation heads Mudassar Arian, Sameen Malik, and Muhammad Riaz hailed the team’s fiery run and celebrated their undefeated group-stage streak.
With this win, Pakistan not only topped Group B but also punched their ticket to face Japan in the semis on Thursday, July 3.
The revamped format pits the top four from both Group A (Gold Cup) and Group B (Plate Cup) in cross-division semis—setting the stage for a thrilling finish in Jeonju.
Pakistan’s journey so far? Pure dominance:
- vs Saudi Arabia – 71-15
- vs Chinese Taipei – 56-32
- vs South Korea – 91-6
- vs Japan – 79-39
- vs Maldives – 49-39
The tournament features 11 nations and runs from June 27 to July 4 under the Asian Netball Federation. Group A includes heavyweights like Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, and India.
Can Pakistan carry the momentum to the final? Eyes now turn to July 3!