KARACHI: Pakistan bagged two gold medals in squash and wrestling to stay third at the end of the fourth day of 12th South Asian Games in India on Monday.
Zamam Anwar defeated India’s Mandeep 3-1 (11 technical points against Mandeep’s 5) in men’s 125 kg category in wrestling.
In badminton team events, India went past Pakistan without much fuss in the men’s semi-finals, beating them 3-0.
A dogged M Irfan matched Srikanth 19-19 in the first set before the Indian took the game 21-19.
As has been the order of the day throughout the competition, Irfan could not withstand the Indian onslaught in the second set which was sealed 21-15 by Srikanth.
For Ajay Jayaram, the tie against Murad Aliq was devoid of any real challenge as the Indian swept over 21-11, 21-16.
The duo of Manu and Sumeeth then got the better of the Pakistan pair of Kashif Sulhari and Rizwan Azam 21-9, 21-18 in just 25 minutes.
While Bangladesh and Pakistan bagged bronze in the men’s category, Nepal and Bangladesh claimed the bronze medal in the women’s category.
Pakistan’s Mubashra Akhtar won bronze in women’s wushu taolu (Nanqua & Nandao) at the Rising Sun Sports Complex in Assam Rifles, Laitkor.
Maz Khan of Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka’s Nid Aberathane in the men’s 70 kg category, and Rashid Minhas beat Nepal’s Dhanbir Maharajan in the men’s 75 kg category.
In the women’s Sanshou semi-finals competition, Nepal’s Juni Rai defeated Rukhsana Hanif of Pakistan in the 60 kg category. Bindu Pun Magar of Nepal defeated Pakistan’s Zarina Rafique in the women’s 70 kg category.
In the cycling 40 km team time trial event (WE), India won gold, while Pakistan got bronze medal.
Pakistan team members were Sahiba Bibi, Rashida Munir, Razia Shabbir and Fiza Riaz.
Pakistan had secured 29 medals by the end of the fourth day: four gold medals (two in wrestling, one in squash, one in swimming); 11 silver (four in wrestling, two each in squash and weightlifting, one each in swimming, table tennis, and cycling); and 14 bronze (four in weight-lifting, two each in cycling, swimming, wushu, and one each in squash, table tennis, and wrestling).
On Sunday, the Indian women’s table tennis team won gold medal by beating Pakistan in the final 3-0.
Manika Batra defeated Raheela Kashif 11-2, 11-6, 11-6. Mouma Das beat Shabnam Bilal 11-7, 11-4, 11-4. Shamini wrapped the affair with an 11-3, 11-3, 11-7 win over Ayesha Ansari.
Pakistan had a tough fight to get around Sri Lanka, ultimately winning 3-2 in the semi-finals.
In badminton, the epic game between Sri Lanka’s Sachin Dais and Pakistan’s Murad Aliq took excitement to its heights.
The Lankan contingent was vocal and so were the Pakistanis.
However, as Dais gained the upper hand during his 25-23, 15-21, 21-15 win, chants of “Sri Lanka Sri Lanka” echoed from every corner.
In Wushu, Sanathoi beat Hima Moazzam of Pakistan in a clean sweep combat sparring in the quarter-finals in 60kg category.
In the men 60 kg category, world silver medalist Surya Bhanu Pratab Singh defeated Abdullah of Pakistan.
In the 56 kg weight category, Shafiq Hotak of Afghanistan defeated Naveed Ahmed of Pakistan.