KARACHI: Pakistan secured another bronze at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku on Sunday courtesy Arbab Sardar Ahmad Khan in the zurkhaneh meel bazi final.

Arbab finished on a sum 218 points from three referees and although he finished fourth, he secured a medal as both third- and fourth-placed competitors are awarded bronze.

Iran’s Pezhman Sokoonati (893) took gold ahead of Azerbaijan’s Khayyam Orujov (379) and Shakib Ahmad Atahi was the other bronze medallist with 316 points.

Pakistan were assured three more bronze medals despite defeats for their wushu players in their respective semi-finals on Sunday.

Zahoor Ahmed lost 2-0 to Turkey’s Sadik Pehlivan in their men’s 52kg last-four clash while Obaidullah fell by a similar scoreline to Foroud Zafari of Iran in the men’s 65kg contest.

Maaz Khan then lost to Egyptian Mohamed Ayman in the 75kg contest and with both semi-final losers assured bronze medal, it took Pakistan’s overall tally to 12 with three silver and nine bronze medals.

Pakistan missed out on another bronze when the women’s team lost the table tennis playoff to Turkey 3-0.

After Aisha Iqbal Ansari lost the opening match to Simay Kukakceken 11-6, 11-6, 11-2, her team-mate Rahila Kashif went down 11-2, 11-3, 11-3 to Melek Hu before she teamed up with Shabnam Bilal in the doubles which they lost 11-2, 11-5, 10-12, 11-6 to Kukakceken and Ozge Yilmaz.

Published in Dawn, May 22nd, 2017