Pakistan men’s and women kabaddi teams arrive in Lahore

Lahore: Pakistan men’s and women kabaddi teams, after featuring in the Kabaddi World Cup 2014 in India, reached home on Monday. Sports Board Punjab officials – Deputy Director SBP Tariq Wattoo, Assistant Director Zahoor Ahmed, DSO Malik Waqar Ahmed, PRO SBP Abdul Rauf Roofi and a large number of kabaddi enthusiasts accorded a warm welcome to national kabaddi teams at Wahga Border.

The Director General Sports Punjab Usman Anwar, members of kabaddi teams and team officials were garlanded and the kabaddi fans chanted slogans and danced with the drumbeat vehemently to say welcome to their heroes.

Pakistan’s men kabaddi team bagged silver medal while women squad clinched bronze medal in the 5^th edition of Kabaddi World Cup staged at the Guru Gobind Singh Stadium, Badal, Sri Mukatsar, India. National men’s team suffered a 45-42 defeat against India in the controversial title clash played on December 20.

Director General Sports Punjab Usman Anwar, talking to media at Wahga Border, said that the excellent performance of Pakistan kabaddi team was being discussed everywhere which is a big success. “Our team got this status in a short period of only three years. Our boys did great hard work during this period and emerged as a leading team of the world,” he added.

Pakistan skipper Shafiq Ahmed Chishti said that Pakistan team returned as a winner. “We are the winners by all means and the discrimination committed by the Indian Kabaddi officials is open to all. The kabaddi lovers all over the world have witnessed how the final match was played and who are the true winners,” he asserted.

Chishti blamed the umpires and match officials for their biased approach. “We were harshly treated by the umpires. If they were right then why they called off the final before the stipulated time,” Shafiq alleged. “The umpires, who were well instructed by the Indian authorities, threatened our players that if they make any objection then they (the umpires) would give point against Pakistan. The match referee has no right to perform his duties if he can’t stop such happenings,” Chishti blasted.

Chishti threatened that Pakistan would not take part in the next World Cup in India if the Indian officials did not stop the injustice. “If India wants to hold such a mega tournament in future then they will have to appoint neutral referees and officials,” the captain stressed.

Chishti dedicated Pakistan’s silver medal to victims of Peshawar school tragedy. He said that Pakistan team were in deep sorrow but even then they demonstrated great patience and managed to control their emotions during the semifinal and final match.

Chishti also expressed his gratitude to Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif and DG SBP Usman Anwar for extending top level facilities at training camp that helped a lot in transforming Pakistan team into a strong outfit.

Head Coach Ghulam Abbas Butt, on this occasion lamented that all the match officials including umpires and referees were Indian. “There should be neutral match officials in a major event like World Cup. No Pakistani kabaddi umpire was issued visa by Indian authorities,” he disclosed.

Team Manager Waqas Akbar said that Indian authorities deliberately refused visas to our players for recently held World Kabaddi League (WKL) and Kabaddi World Cup which is a big injustice. “We have lodged a written protest to investigative committee and the committee assured us of complete justice after a thorough investigation,” he continued.

Pakistan kabaddi team demonstrated wonderful performance throughout the tournament and won six matches on the trot on their way to final. In the semi-final Pakistan toppled Iran 56-28 while in group stage, Pakistan thrashed Denmark, England, Canada, Sweden and Argentina to emerge as group leaders with ten points.

Chishti’s men continued their top quality kabaddi in the final and kept the Indian team under pressure for 35 minutes out of 40-minute game. Pakistan’s domination over the Indian team throughout the final was witnessed by all the kabaddi circles. However, India through negative tactics, managed to take a 2-point lead and then the title clash was abruptly declared finished even before the original closing time.