KARACHI: Hosts Pakistan on Thursday received a severe jolt when their government refused to issue visas to Indian squad for participation in the South Asian Cadet and Junior Table Tennis Championships which commences at the multi-purpose gymnasium of Habib Public School on Friday.

“We were confident that the government will issue visas to the Indian players and officials by Thursday noon but were taken aback after receiving regrets,” a dejected looking Pakistan Table Tennis Federation (PTTF) president, S.M. Sibtain, told Dawn at the venue where his team of officials was busy to give final touches on the eve of opening of the three-day spectacle.

The PTTF chief said he expedited the matter at the highest level in Islamabad during the last 48 hours but to no avail.It is pertinent to mention that India had featured in the previous two similar events held in Karachi (2008) and Islamabad (2014).

After the absence of 16 Indian players, 50 odd boys and girls from four nations – Sri Lanka, Maldives, Nepal and Pakistan – will battle it out for 10 gold medals that will be up for grabs in the competition.

Top four outfits – cadet boys and girls, junior boys and girls – will earn a ticket for Thailand where the Asian Cadet and Junior Championships are due to be staged in September.

It is pertinent to mention that Pakistan returned with seven bronze in the last event hosted by Delhi in 2015.

Meanwhile, three foreign teams arrived in the city on Thursday afternoon and were lodged at a local hotel. The Sri Lankan squad comprised 14 players and four officials while the Maldives outfit includes six players and three officials.

The Pakistan squad, in the meantime, had their workouts under the supervision of their coaches on Thursday and were looking forward to make waves.

Sindh Finance Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah will formally inaugurate the championship at 5:00pm.

Squads:

Sri Lanka:

Junior boys team: Udaya Ranasinghe (captain), Krishan Wickramarathne, Supuna Warusavithana and P. Dishanka Tennakoon.

Junior girls team: Hansani Piumila (captain), Chamathsara Ferbnando, Muthumali Priyadarshani and Sheshala Bandara.

Cadet boys team: Helitha Hendavitharana (captain), Harshana Karandawela and Thenuka Dinujaya.

Cadet girls team: Thanushi Rodrigo (captain), Imasha De Silva, Natasha Sandavinee.

Officials: Mrs Ashokamala Thennakoon (manager), Buddhika Dikkumbura and Mrs Namal Gunasekara (coaches), Prabath Priyantha (umpire).

Maldives:

Junior boys team: Mohamed Shaffan Ismail, Shafeeq Nibras Mohamed, Mohamed Ahmed Zaidhaan.

Junior girls team: Nazim Aishath Rafa, Ismail Laisa Fathuhulla, Muaz Aminath Malaysha.

Officials: Yasir Mohamed Ali (coach), Latheef Ebrahim (umpire), Hameez Azza (manager), Rasheed Ali (official).

Friday’s fixtures:

Junior boys team event at 10am; junior girls team event at 11am; cadet boys team event at 12noon; cadet girls team event at 1pm. Afternoon session resumes at 3pm. Opening ceremony at 5pm.

Published in Dawn, July 15th, 2016