PSA names Pakistan squad for Gladiators WESPA Youth Scrabble cup 2021

Pakistan Scrabble Association (PSA) has announced eight-member squad for the first international online youth scrabble championship 2021 starting from Friday, 22nd January.

The final qualifiers for the selection of Pakistan team for the Gladiators WESPA Youth cup came to an end at Pharmevo Guesthouse, Karachi.

It was the second and final leg of the qualifiers. 12 of the top youth players (under 18 years of age) participated in a two day event which played on a double round robin league followed by two games on king-of-the-hill format

The reigning national champion Syed Imaad Ali was head and shoulders above anyone else and steamrolled his way to the top slot. Imaad remained unbeaten for the first 14 games and finished the event on top with 21 wins out of 24 games with a spread of 2545. Imaad averaged an astonishing 479 points per game

The most experienced player in the team and last year's national champion Hasham Hadi Khan was second with 17 wins and a spread of 1703

Monis Khan finished 3rd with 16 wins and a spread of 88.

Winner of the first leg of the qualifiers Ali Salman finished 4th with 13 wins while Usman Shaukat and Ali Wasif finished 5th and 6th to book their places in team Pakistan

The tournament was played in exactly the same format and standard that will be used in the Gladiators WESPA Youth Cup starting next week

The chief guest Hassan Omar of Quetta Gladiators distributed the team kits to the selected players.

The trophy for the Gladiators WESPA Youth Cup was also unveiled by the chief guest. The championship formerly known as the World Youth Scrabble Championship will be played online from 22nd January. 96 players from 16 countries spread over five continents are taking part.

A fully equipped control room is set up at Pharmevo Guesthouse where a team of experts from Pakistan will monitor the tournament