Pak aims to win Kabbadi gold in Indoor Asian Games

MACAU—Pakistan’s hopes to win a gold in the Macau Indoor Asian Games are pinned with Kabbadi and the task becomes equally difficult and challenging in the presence of Asian Champions and arch rivals India.
It is not Asian kabbadi super power India, there are other challengers mid way in Iran, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and conquering such number of opponents to clinch the goal is a long way journey which demands some special performances on part of Pak team which is a blend of experience and youth.
In the Games in which Pakistan has made a token participation in a few disciplines including athletics, chess and snooker ,the medal winning reliance is purely on Kabaddi in its Asian style not the traditional style which is popular in sub-continent . Pakistan will face Malaysia on October 30 in its inaugural match of Kabaddi competition followed by two games on a day on October 31 against Iran and Japan. Pakistan’s most important match of the single league competition will be against India on November 1 and then two matches against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka on November 2. The final will be played on November 3. There is no simple victory path for Pakistani team which needs to maintain an all win record in the competition in which all the seven teams will be playing each other.
Losing a match will not be making a difference for their qualification for the ultimate show down but two defeats can spoil their dreams. “ It is a very difficult format in which we will be playing back to back matches, some times two matches in a day and our survival heavily depends on our performance which should be “ the best” as nothing less than that will serve our purpose”, said team captain Muhammad Akram while talking to reporters here on Sunday.
After Pakistan’s defeat at the hands of India in the final of Doha Asian Games Kabaddi tournament, now the new look team Pakistan, having four new faces, is determined to put up a much improved show.
The fresh blood inducted in the team is Naveel Akram, Irfan Ali, Basharat Subhanni and Sajjad Hussain and team management is hoping to gel experience with youth to fetch good results.
“ We have a long training camp of around six months and we concentrated to overcome grey areas and bringing in new players was to replace some aging players after the Asian Games”, said team’s manager, Irfan Gohar.—Agencies
He said Secretary, Pakistan Kabaddi Federation, Muahmmad Sarwar supervised the training and ensured that young players fully mixed up with the senior players.
But beating India in the final in an elite competition including Asian Games has ever been a hurdle which Pakistan failed to cross. In the past, both the neighbouring countries met in Asian Games or South Asian Games final but India established its supremacy by setting aside Pakistan challenge in a more professional way.
Pak team captain urged the team members to be there to support the team in the Games to make a gradual match by match progress. “ We should not be taking the pressure of playing India because we have to play other countries before playing them (India) and the immediate task is to beat Malaysia, Iran and Japan, and then to concentrate to play India”, he said.
He said Pakistan is fully prepared for the Games as it beat Iran in a test series at home. “ Iran brought their best players and they were too preparing for the indoor Games and our team beat them by showing excellent performance and if it repeats a similar performance no matter it can win the gold here”, he said.