Pakistan’s badminton queen, Mahoor Shahzad, lived up to her star billing with a gritty comeback victory to claim her third National Games gold on Friday, headlining a day of intense finals at the Nazimabad Sports Club, Karachi, that saw Wapda’s dominance challenged and a dramatic men’s singles decided by a contentious call.

The sparse crowd inside the complex was treated to high drama, beginning with the marquee women’s singles where the event’s poster girl, Wapda’s Mahoor, faced a stern test from Army’s left-handed dynamo, Alja Tariq.

Mahoor, initially off-rhythm, trailed 7-3 in the first game before her veteran composure surfaced.

Forcing errors and winning a breathtaking rally to level at 9-9, she edged a tight opener.

The second game was a fiercer battle. Alja, pumped and precise with her drops and smashes, surged to a 9-4 lead and held an 11-8 advantage at the mid-game break.

Facing a possible decider, the champion shifted gears.

She methodically reeled in the deficit, drawing level at 14-14 before racing ahead. From 18-17, she unleashed her signature weapon — a blistering smash deemed unreturnable — to secure match point and sealed the victory in similar fashion, raising a triumphant fist.

The victory, however, prompted the 28-year-old champion to reflect on the broader challenges facing Pakistani badminton.

“She [Alja] played a really good game but thankfully I powered through,” Mahoor told Dawn. “I’m very happy to win my third National Games gold.”

“We lack a bit in skills,” said Mahoor, whose favorite player is former Chinese Taipei star Tai Tzu-ying. “If our training techniques get better and we are given the same tools as international players, we can definitely compete with the best around the globe.”

She identified systemic gaps as the core hurdle.

“The infrastructure of sports is not at the top level in Pakistan. That’s the biggest hurdle,” the Karachi-born player stated. “We have to find courts and coaches on our own. The government should support us and make proper training facilities so we can prepare better.”

Balancing elite sport with motherhood, she added, is its own battle.

“My daughter is only 18 months now. Even at the international level, players take almost two years off as a maternity break. I made my comeback a bit quicker,” said Mahoor, who holds a post-graduate degree in Sports Management.

Her next targets are the South Asian Games and Asian Games, where she hopes to “win a gold medal for Pakistan.”

Offering advice to the next generation, she emphasised resilience and smart training.

“Winning and losing is part of this game and life. The important thing is you should learn from them and come out a better person,” she said. “Young players shouldn’t dwell all their time on the courts but focus on their body. Do more running and fitness, spend some time in the gym.”

The drama had kicked off earlier with an all-Wapda men’s singles final that turned contentious. Irfan Saeed faced M. Ali Larosh in a match where line calls were repeatedly contested.

Irfan took the first game comfortably 21-12, capitalising on Larosh’s unforced errors.

The second game saw a momentum swing as a frustrated Larosh found his range, building an 11-5 lead.

However, Irfan staged a remarkable comeback, clawing back from 18-15 down to level at 19-19.

At match point, he fired a shot towards the corner that Larosh insisted was out, but the line judge awarded the point to Irfan. The controversial call sealed a 21-19 victory for Irfan, who roared in celebration before performing a prostration.

Speaking to Dawn after the win, the 33-year-old champion reflected on the tense battle.

“It was a really good match but I think I was destined to win today,” Irfan said. “When Larosh had the lead in the second set, I thought I would have to play the next game. I don’t know why, but he made a lot of fouls on the short serves. It was to my advantage and gave me a chance for a comeback.”

He credited Wapda’s systematic preparation for his victory.

“Wapda setting up a camp one month prior to the championship gave me time to acclimatise and prepare better. I am practicing here for a month so my court adjustment and settlement was very good. That’s why I performed well,” said Irfan, who had defeated Pakistan’s No. 1 Murad Ali in the semi-final.

Now a three-time National Games champion and an 18th-grade officer with Wapda — a permanent job that allows him to focus wholly on his sport — Irfan has set his sights on a loftier goal.

“I really want to represent the country in the next Olympics,” said the Lahore-born shuttler, who idolises Malaysian great Lee Chong Wei.

However, he acknowledges the hurdle ahead.

“I need to participate more in international events to get a shot at the Olympics. That’s a battle that we have to deal with on our own,” he admitted, “as the federation is low on funds.”

The day’s narrative of Wapda’s ascendancy was disrupted in the men’s doubles final, where the Army duo of Raja Hasnain and Raja Zulqarnain broke through to claim gold.

They faced Wapda’s pair of Larosh — fresh from his singles defeat — and Awais Zahid.

Army claimed the first game, but Wapda fought back to take the second 21-13 and force a decider.

The final game was a tense affair, with Army maintaining a narrow lead throughout. Each of their points was celebrated with a roar, and with the crowd echoing every smash with a collective “ooh,” they closed out the victory.

The defeated Wapda pair threw their rackets skyward in a sportsmanlike acknowledgment before the Army champions raised their hands to a warm ovation.

the Army pair of Ammarah Ishtiaq and Alja continued Army’s charge in the women’s doubles final.

Alja got her lick back in the doubles as Army dominated the decider, defeating Wapda’s duo of Mahoor and Ghazala Siddique 21-12, 21-13.

Army completed a doubles golden treble in the mixed event, with Hasnain and Ammarah Ishtiaq overcoming Larosh and Ghazala 21-19, 21-16.