‘Pakistan shuttlers can qualify for 2012’

KARACHI: Pakistan Badminton Federation (PBF) senior vice-president Syed Naqi Mohsin believes that if the Pakistan’s top doubles pair of Rizwan Azam and Kashif Sulehri feature in international tournaments as their Indian counterparts do, they can easily qualify for London Olympics 2012.

“They didn’t undergo any camp and featured in only two tournaments during the year,” said Mohsin. “However, they won the Maldives Challenge International Badminton Championship that shows they have great potential and if they get proper exposure, they can easily break into the top-50 which will be enough to qualify for the Olympics.”

Naqi also spoke highly of Pakistan’s top singles player Wajid Ali who reached the quarter-finals of the event before ruing the lack of funds available to the federation.

Published in the Express Tribune, May 31st, 2010.