Bridge: Mixed fortunes for Pakistan on opening day
Team beats Canada, loses to Bulgaria in bridge tournament.
KARACHI:
Pakistan experienced mixed fortune on the opening day of the Bermuda Bowl World Bridge Team Championships in Veldhoven, Holland as they beat Canada in their first match before going down to Bulgaria.
After clinching a 17-13 victory in the first round, the Pakistan bridge team was totally outclassed in its second match, suffering a 23-7 defeat to Bulgaria. Pakistan now need at least 340 victory points to qualify for the quarter-finals that start next week.
Meanwhile, Tariq Rasheed, Pakistan’s non-playing captain, who is expected to join the team on Tuesday, said the loss against Bulgaria was expected. “Canada aren’t tough opponents for us,” Rasheed told The Express Tribune. “We played an online series against them during our training sessions and knew their game well.
“The defeat to Bulgaria was expected but we need to at least draw against Sweden in our next match to stand a chance in the tournament.”
Pakistan, who qualified for the tournament after beating India at the BFAME Championship final earlier this year, are represented by Rashidul Ghazi, Tehsin Gheewala, Tahir Masood and Khalid Mohiuddin while Mubashir Puri and Javed Ahmed are the reserve players.
The tournament features 22 countries with the top 11 going through to the knock-outs before the semi-finals and final are contested on October 29.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 17th, 2011.
Pakistan experienced mixed fortune on the opening day of the Bermuda Bowl World Bridge Team Championships in Veldhoven, Holland as they beat Canada in their first match before going down to Bulgaria.
After clinching a 17-13 victory in the first round, the Pakistan bridge team was totally outclassed in its second match, suffering a 23-7 defeat to Bulgaria. Pakistan now need at least 340 victory points to qualify for the quarter-finals that start next week.
Meanwhile, Tariq Rasheed, Pakistan’s non-playing captain, who is expected to join the team on Tuesday, said the loss against Bulgaria was expected. “Canada aren’t tough opponents for us,” Rasheed told The Express Tribune. “We played an online series against them during our training sessions and knew their game well.
“The defeat to Bulgaria was expected but we need to at least draw against Sweden in our next match to stand a chance in the tournament.”
Pakistan, who qualified for the tournament after beating India at the BFAME Championship final earlier this year, are represented by Rashidul Ghazi, Tehsin Gheewala, Tahir Masood and Khalid Mohiuddin while Mubashir Puri and Javed Ahmed are the reserve players.
The tournament features 22 countries with the top 11 going through to the knock-outs before the semi-finals and final are contested on October 29.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 17th, 2011.