Four wrestlers to represent Pakistan at Asian Games

KARACHI: As many as four wrestlers will represent Pakistan in the 18th Asian Games slated to be held in the Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Palembang from August 18 to September 2.

After the country’s premier wrestler and two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist Mohammad Inam opted to skip the Asiad due to knee injury Pakistan Wrestling Federation (PWF) decided to field Mohammad Bilal (57kg), Mudassir Hussain (65kg), Abdul Rehman (74kg) and Tayyab Raza (125kg) in the quadrennial event.

Mohammad Anwar of Army will accompany the squad as coach while Saifullah of WAPDA will serve on the tour as manager.

Bilal of WAPDA, who is also the cousin of Inam, is expected to pull off surprise at the biggest stage in which Olympic and world champions will also be seen in action.

Bilal is the bronze medallist of the 2018 Commonwealth Games and the 2017 Commonwealth Wrestling Championships held at Gold Coast, Australia.

Bilal had narrowly missed the Olympic spot in the qualifying round held last year after finishing as runner-up in his weight category.

Tayyab Raza is an experienced grappler, having won bronze medals in the Commonwealth Championships and Commonwealth Games.

Abdul Rehman has to his credit two Commonwealth Championships bronze medals.

The PWF secretary Arshad Sattar said that Bilal has the capability to win medal.

“After Inam, Bilal is the only wrestler in Pakistan who can do something stunning,” Arshad said.