September 30, 2007	Sunday	Ramazan 17, 1428

BEIJING, Sept 29: Pakistan Bridge team will launch its campaign in Bermuda Bowl - World Bridge Championship in Shanghai on Sunday by playing against Australia, South Africa and Canada.

The non-playing member of the Pakistan team, Kemal Shoaib while talking to newsmen on Saturday evening said that a colourful opening ceremony of the championship was held here this evening that was participated in by ministers, deputy mayor of Shanghai and senior officials of the Chinese government.

Kemal said that on Monday, the second day of the tournament, Pakistan will play against India. He pointed out that in all there are twenty two teams taking part in the championship which are divided into two groups.

He said that the week-long round robin league matches of the tournament will begin on Sunday and there will be three session every day, in which each team will compete against the other.

Pakistan squad comprises Abdul Rehman, Jan-e-Azlam Fazli, Javed Miran, Masood Azhar, Rashid Jafer, Sarfraz Ahmed Khan. Kemal Shoaib is the non playing member of the team.

Kemal further added that 22 nations have qualified from various zones of the world to figure in the two-week championship and after preliminary league rounds that would end by October 6, the knock-out stage goes into action.

He said that Pakistan’s first target is to make into the quarterfinal round and for that the team is fully prepared and focused. Pakistan, had shown an outstanding performance in Istanbul (Turkey) Bridge Olympiad in 2004 where they finished fifth among 100 participants after losing to ultimate champion Italy in the quarterfinal.

Kemal, who himself was the member of the team which secured fifth spot in Turkey, said that Pakistan team was in serious practice in the past one month and they put in a lot of effort in preparations for the competition.

The World Bridge Championship in Shanghai will continue up to October 13.—APP