Pakistan to feature in Asian Youth Beach Handball Championship

KARACHI: Pakistan youth handball team will feature in the Asian Youth Beach Handball Championship slated to be held in Kish, Iran, from March 22-31.

The event also will serve as qualifiers for the World Youth Beach Handball Championship to be held in Heraklion, Greece, from June 14-19 this year. The top three teams will make it to the global event from the continental event.

Qatar, India, Jordan, Afghanistan, Thailand, Chinese Taipei, Iran and Pakistan are set to feature in the event.

Pakistan youth team had won bronze in the previous Asian Youth Beach Handball Championship in Thailand in 2016.

The same side then finished ninth in the World Youth Beach Handball Championship held in Mauritius in 2017.

Pakistan Handball Federation (PHF) said on Tuesday that the boys have been under training for the Iran’s event since January 1 at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad Sand court.

“The team is in good shape and InshaAllah will get medal and qualify for the World Youth Beach Handball Championship and Youth Olympic Games as well,” the PHF said in a press release.

The PHF president Mohammad Shafiq told ‘The News’ that thirteen boys are in the camp being conducted by three officials.

“Ten players and three officials will proceed to Iran,” Shafiq said.”We are in talks with Iran as we want a few practice games against them ahead of the event. After finalising the schedule with them we would like to send our team three days before the event in order to get training,” said Shafiq, also secretary of Asian Handball Federation (AHF).

He further informed that the state would meet boarding and lodging expenses of ten Iran-bound players.

He opined that Iran, Pakistan and Qatar will qualify for the World Championship.

From the global event two teams from each continent will make it to the Youth Olympics.