PKF mulls preparing strong lot for Asiad

KARACHI: Keeping in view the competitive environment in kabaddi, the Pakistan Kabaddi Federation (PKF) is planning to prepare a strong lot for the 2022 Asian Games slated to be held in Hangzhou, China.

“Asian Games 2022 is our target,” PKF secretary Mohammad Sarwar told ‘The News’ in an interview on Thursday.

In the 2018 Asian Games held in Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Palembang once mighty powers Pakistan and India finished with bronze medal.

The PKF is lucky to have got a couple of very important events which will help it to test its Under-20 stuff for the Asiad.

Pakistan are set to feature in the Junior World Cup (Asian style) which will be held in Iran in November.

The PKF is planning to begin preparation for the inaugural global event which was finalised at a meeting of the world kabaddi governing body (IKF) in Chinese Taipei recently.

“We are going to hold camp in Islamabad from Monday to prepare the Under-20 squad for the Junior World Cup,” Sarwar said.

He added that 20 boys had been picked through inter-division kabaddi championship held recently which was won by Peshawar division.

“Besides Punjab, we got good talent from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A couple of players were also picked from Sindh and Quetta,” said Sarwar, also secretary of Asian Kabaddi Federation.

The officials for the camp are yet to be finalised, said Sarwar, also a former Pakistan captain.

“We will also hold open trials in Islamabad in September to remove the deficiency,” Sarwar said.