RECENTLY Pakistan’s two international sports teams performed extremely well in the respective World Cups. Pakistan kabaddi team and Pakistan blind cricket team were the runners-up in Kabaddi World Cup and Blind T20 World Cup, respectively. Both the teams played some excellent game and reached the final of the tournaments.

Pakistan kabaddi team lost against India by 22-59 at the Guru Nanak Stadium in Ludhiana, India.

In the Blind T20 World Cup Pakistan blind cricket team’s performance was up to the mark and they were undefeated till the final. In the final they lost to the India blind cricket team by 29 runs in Bangalore.

Till the final of both the tournaments Pakistani electronic and print media highlighted the performance of both teams (but still not in the way how cricket is highlighted) but after the final there was no media coverage.

It is true that the Pakistan kabaddi team and Pakistan blind cricket team lost the final but they were runners up and as such should be rewarded and appreciated for this effort.

I remember when the Pakistan cricket team lost semifinal against India in the 2011 Cricket World Cup but the Pakistan media appreciated green shirts at that time.

Pakistan kabaddi team were given a reward of 10 million Indian rupees by the tournament organisers for clinching the second place. Pakistan’s federal and provincial governments should also reward these teams just like Mohammad Asif, who was given a lot of reward recently after he won the 2012 IBSF World Snooker Championship (also known as the World Amateur Snooker Championship).

The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) should also announce prize money for these teams. The media should also air special shows about these players and should invite them to their programs.

Multinational companies should also include kabaddi and blind cricket team players in their advertisements as this will also financially help these players.

MUBASHIR MAHMOOD Karachi