LAHORE - Pakistan men’s and women’s kabaddi teams returned home on
Monday after finishing runners-up in the Kabaddi World Cup 2014 in
India.
The Sports Board Punjab (SBP) officials and a large number of
kabaddi enthusiasts accorded a warm welcome to the national kabaddi
teams here at the Wahga Border. The SBP director general, members of
kabaddi teams and team officials were garlanded and the kabaddi fans
chanted slogans and danced on the drumbeat to welcome to their heroes.
The
men kabaddi team earned silver medal while women team won bronze medal
in the 5th edition of Kabaddi World Cup staged at the Guru Gobind Singh
Stadium, Badal, Sri Mukatsar, India. The men’s team suffered a 45-42
defeat against India in the controversial title clash played on December
20.
Talking to media, the SBP director general said that the
excellent performance of Pakistan kabaddi team was being discussed
everywhere which was a big success. “Our team got this status in a short
period of only three years. Our boys worked hard 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 across the
world have witnessed how the final match was played and who are the true
winners,” he stated.
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," he alleged. "The umpires, who were well instructed by the Indian
authorities, threatened our players that if they make any objection
then the umpires would give point against Pakistan. The match referee
has no right to perform his duties if he can’t stop such happenings," he
blasted.
The skipper 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," he added.
Chishti
dedicated Pakistan’s silver medal to victims of Peshawar school
tragedy. He said Pakistan team was in deep sorrow but even then they
demonstrated great patience and managed to control their emotions during
the semifinal and final.
He also expressed his gratitude to Punjab
Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and the DG SBP 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 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 Pakistan kabaddi umpire was issued visa by the 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 which assured us of complete justice after a thorough
investigation,” he said.
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 10 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 two-point lead and then the title
clash was abruptly declared finished even before the original closing
time.
