Pakistan shine at Asian Beach Games

Team qualifies for last-four of kabaddi and handball.

MUSCAT: Pakistan’s chances of grabbing two more medals in the 2nd Asian Beach Games increased after its handball and kabaddi teams qualified for the semi-finals in Muscat.

In the kabaddi event, Pakistan beat Iran to avenge their Asian Games humiliation before overcoming Indonesia 55-17 to reach the last-four.

Handball team impresses

Meanwhile, Pakistan suffered a 2-0 defeat against Thailand in their last league match of the handball event but still qualified for the semi-finals. Pakistan’s Chief De Mission Doda Khan Bhutto expressed his disappointed at the team’s loss against the weak opposition, claiming that the team seemed to concede the match to set up a last-four clash against the weaker Oman instead of Kuwait who will play Jordan in the other semi-final.

Pakistani athletes have secured four medals in the Games so far – two silver and the same number of bronze medals in the eight-day sporting extravaganza being held at different beaches of the city.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 15^th, 2010.