Pakistan made an impressive start to their kabaddi campaign at the Asian Youth Games on Sunday, with back-to-back victories over Bahrain and Thailand in their group matches at the Isa Sports City’s Hall.
In their opening match, Pakistan outscored hosts Bahrain 87–21 in a completely one-sided encounter. The team’s raiders and defenders combined seamlessly to take control early, racing to a 50-7 halftime lead.
According to official statistics, Pakistan earned 27 raid points, 8 bonus points and 15 all-out points in the first half alone, while Bahrain could only manage 7 raid points. The dominance continued after the break, with Pakistan adding a further 29 raid points and an additional 8 all-out points, maintaining their grip on the match.
The final analysis showed that Pakistan collected 56 raid points, 8 bonus points and 23 all-out points, while Bahrain finished with 12 raid points and 3 bonus points for a total of 21. Pakistan did not concede a single all-out in the match, showing their superior control and defensive coordination.
Later in the day, Pakistan faced a tougher challenge against Thailand but prevailed 62-57 after a hard-fought battle. Pakistan held a 39-26 half-time lead, powered by 31 raid points, 1 bonus and 5 all-outs, while Thailand kept pace with 18 raid points, 4 bonuses and 4 super tackles.
Thailand rallied in the second half to beat Pakistan 31-23, but the early advantage proved decisive. Pakistan’s total in the second half included 19 raid points, 1 bonus and 3 all-out points, while Thailand recorded 17 raid points, 8 bonus points and 3 all-outs.
The final match’s statistics reflected Pakistan’s consistent attack and composure under pressure, finishing with 50 raid points, 2 bonus points, 8 all-out points and 2 super tackles, compared to Thailand’s 35 raid points, 12 bonus points, 3 all-outs and 6 super tackles.
The Pakistan team consists of Gull Sher, Hassan Ali, Muhammad Muqeeb, Usman Ali, Adeel Ahmad and captain Syed Hamza Shah.
With two wins from as many games, Pakistan will take on traditional powerhouses Iran and India today (Monday).
