Pakistan will send a 16-person bridge team at the Asian Games.
Under the leadership of seasoned bridge master Ghalib Ali Bandesha, a 16-person group of Pakistani bridge players—10 men and six women—will compete in the 19th Asian Games.
Men’s Team, Women’s Team, and Mixed Team will compete in the Asian Games’ bridge competition, which will take place in Hangzhou’s Qi-yuan (Zhili) Chess Hall from September 27 to October 6.
In an exclusive interview with APP on Thursday, Ghalib Bandesha, the captain of the national bridge team, said that Pakistan will enter bridge teams in the Men’s Team and Mixed Team disciplines of the Asian Games. “Five members of our national team will compete in the Men’s competition, and six will compete in the Mixed Team event,” he continued.
Bandesha is one of the most important members of Pakistan’s bridge contingent. Throughout his 12-year international career, he has won numerous titles and gold medals, including a gold medal at the BFAME Championships in 2017, the China-Arab States Bridge Championships in 2013, the Bridge Festivals in Dubai in 2016 and 2017, Jordan in 2022, China in 2016 and 2017, and Turkey in 2022.
During their individual careers, Rubina Agha and Masood Mazhar, two extremely skilled players who make up Pakistan’s bridge contingent, have won a combined number of world titles and medals, he claimed. We have high hopes that our athletes would perform admirably and bring honor to the nation in the great event.
He announced that teams representing 13 nations would compete in the Asiad bridge competition. We are aware that some of Asia’s top bridge teams, including those from China, India, Hong Kong, and Singapore, will participate in the competition, and our players will need to perform to the best of their ability if they want to succeed in the Asian Games, he continued.
Ghalib Ali Bandesha (captain), Rubina Agha, Masood Mazhar, Anwar Mumtaz Kizilbash, Shahab Sarki, Yousuf Jan Mohammad, Samira Jimmy Fancy, Azra Raja, Arslan Mansoor, Farrukh Liaqat, and M Zia Hai are the players from Pakistan who will be participating in the bridge match.
Raheel Ahmed, Jaweria Hai, Mosammat Lata Begum, Raana Bodman, and Mohammad Arif Bajwa are the team officials.
