Pakistani cricketers have extended best wishes to the national contingent taking part in the Tokyo Olympics.
The quadrennial sporting extravaganza, initially scheduled for summer 2020, started on Friday with an opening ceremony without spectators due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Hasnain, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shadab Khan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi and women team’s all-rounders Aliya Riaz and Nida Dar gave their encouragement and support to their fellow national athletes who would be vying for glory in nine different events.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) released a video with messages of the seven men and two women players.
Wishing good luck to the Tokyo Olympics contingent, all-rounder Aliya Riaz said: “Please enjoy yourself and give it your best shot; we are all behind you.”
All-rounder Nida Dar said she was rooting for Pakistani athletes as it was a big occasion for them and vowed to give them all the support they needed.
“I am backing the Pakistan Tokyo Olympics contingent to do well in the biggest sporting extravaganza. It is a big occasion for these athletes; we would be giving them all the support they need and would follow their progress,” she said.
Especially wishing Mahoor Shahzad, Bisma Khan, and Arshad Nadeem the best of luck, former skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed hoped the athletes would bring glory to the country.
“I want to wish Pakistan’s Tokyo Olympics contingent the very best. My best wishes are with all the athletes, especially Mahoor Shahzad, Bisma Khan, and Arshad Nadeem. I am sure you all will give it your best to bring glory to the country,” Sarfaraz said.
Shadab Khan, expressing his support, said: “My best wishes are with all the athletes who are representing Pakistan in the Tokyo Olympics. Go well.”
“Good luck to the entire Pakistan Tokyo Olympics contingent, especially Shah Hussain and Talha Talib,” pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi said.
Wishing the best for the athletes, Faheem Ashraf said: “My best wishes are with Pakistani athletes competing in the Tokyo Olympics. Good luck and go well.”
Batsman Fakhar Zaman said: “I want to wish the very best to Pakistan’s Tokyo Olympics contingent, especially Mahoor Shahzad and Najma Parveen.”
Asking the players to enjoy themselves while they are out there and assuring that the whole country was backing them, Hasan Ali expressed his confidence in the contingent.
“My best wishes are with our Tokyo Olympics contingent. Please […] enjoy yourself and give your best. The entire country is backing you,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Hasnain added: “My best wishes are with the athletes and officials representing Pakistan in the Tokyo Olympics, especially Arshad Nadeem and Bisma Khan.”
Pakistan athletes would be competing in 200 metre Athletics, Badminton – Women Singles, Judo – 100 Kg, Shooting – 10 metre Air Pistol, Swimming 100 metre Freestyle Men’s and 50 metre Women’s, and 67kg Weightlifting.
Pakistan’s last Olympics medal was the bronze the national hockey team achieved in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. The last individual medal was the bronze grabbed by boxer Hussain Shah in the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
Pakistan Tokyo Olympics contingent (athletes):
Arshad Nadeem – Javelin Throw
Bisma Khan — Swimming 50 metre Freestyle women
Ghulam Mustafa Bashir — Rapid Fire Pistol 25 metre
Gulfam Joseph — Shooting 10 metre Air Pistol
Mahoor Shahzad — Badminton Women’s Singles
Muhammad Khalil Akhtar — Rapid Fire Pistol 25 metre
Najma Parveen — Athletics 200 metres
Shah Hussain Shah — Judo 100 Kg
Syed Muhammad Haseeb Khan — Swimming 100 metre Freestyle Men’s
Talha Talib — Weightlifting 67kg
