Scrabble: Pakistan will be under more pressure says Khatri
Country’s number one player to miss scrabble event due to visa issue.
KARACHI:
Devastated after being denied the visa, Pakistan’s number one scrabble player Waseem Khatri said the country now had little chance of doing well at the World Championship that starts in Warsaw, Poland from October 12.
Khatri, who was seeded third in the tournament, was denied the visa by the Polish embassy, which said that his “purpose of travelling to the country was not valid”.
“We were aiming to be among the top three teams,” Khatri told The Express Tribune. “I’m shocked because I was looking forward to the tournament. I’ve travelled before and I took part in the 2009 World Cup. I don’t know why my visa was turned down.”
Khatri and Wajid Iqbal were finalised by the Pakistan Scrabble Association as the two players to represent the country. However, Khatri’s visa issue has dented Pakistan’s hopes and the player said that this would affect Iqbal’s confidence as well. “We were going there as a team. The pressure on Iqbal will increase and it hurts Pakistan’s chances,” said Khatri.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 10th, 2011.
Devastated after being denied the visa, Pakistan’s number one scrabble player Waseem Khatri said the country now had little chance of doing well at the World Championship that starts in Warsaw, Poland from October 12.
Khatri, who was seeded third in the tournament, was denied the visa by the Polish embassy, which said that his “purpose of travelling to the country was not valid”.
“We were aiming to be among the top three teams,” Khatri told The Express Tribune. “I’m shocked because I was looking forward to the tournament. I’ve travelled before and I took part in the 2009 World Cup. I don’t know why my visa was turned down.”
Khatri and Wajid Iqbal were finalised by the Pakistan Scrabble Association as the two players to represent the country. However, Khatri’s visa issue has dented Pakistan’s hopes and the player said that this would affect Iqbal’s confidence as well. “We were going there as a team. The pressure on Iqbal will increase and it hurts Pakistan’s chances,” said Khatri.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 10th, 2011.