South Asian Games to have four Pakistan teams

Country to take part in four disciplines in Sri Lanka next month.

KARACHI: The Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) will send teams from four disciplines to participate in the inaugural South Asian Beach Games that begin next month in Sri Lanka.

Pakistan will take part in handball, netball, kabaddi and wrestling events as the tournament sees eight countries compete across 12 disciplines in Hambantota from October 8.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s main hope will be the handball team, which won the South Asian Games (SAF) title last year before bagging a silver medal at the Asian Beach Games 2010 in Oman. This time an eight-member squad will be sent to Sri Lanka, according to the Pakistan Handball Federation President Muhammad Abid Qadri.

“We’ll go as the defending champions in the tournament,” Qadri told The Express Tribune. “The biggest challenge for us is to organise a camp that is modelled on the same conditions as in Sri Lanka.”

Qadri said a camp will be set up near river Chenab with an artificial beach to imitate the conditions.

‘Netball team  expected to win’

The Pakistan Netball Federation, which will also send an eight-member team, is expected to win a silver medal, said the secretary Mudassar Arain.

He said that Pakistan had won two series against India, their biggest competitor, and had a good chance at the event along with the hosts.

The Pakistan Kabaddi Federation will start the camp from Monday with 16 players before it shortlists the squad to six while the Pakistan Wrestling Federation confirmed that five wrestlers will be sent.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 3^rd, 2011.