ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): The Executive Committee of the South Asian Olympic Council has approved the schedule of the South Asian Games to be held in Pakistan from April 3 to 11 next year.
The South Asian Games will feature 28 men’s and 25 women’s sports, while more than 4,200 athletes and officials from member countries will participate.
The South Asian Games will feature 346 gold medal events, which will be held in Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar.
President of the Pakistan Olympic Association Arif Saeed said that Pakistan is ready to host the SAFF Games, and the government is fully supporting the successful organization of the Games.
The schedule was approved at a meeting of the Executive Committee of the South Asian Olympic Council.
Delegations from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives participated in the meeting held in Islamabad, while Secretary POA Khalid Mahmood and officials from the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination also participated.
The Indian delegation participated in the meeting via video link.
Pakistan announces squads for Asia Cup, Asian Games
Pakistan has announced 15-member squads for the Women’s Asia Cup and the 20th Asian Games, with regular captain Fatima Sana returning to lead the side in both tournaments.
She had missed the recent T20I series against Sri Lanka due to her commitments in The Hundred.
The Women’s Asia Cup will be played in Dubai from August 28 to September 13, while the women’s cricket tournament at the Asian Games will take place in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 17 to 22.
Women’s Asia Cup
Pakistan are in Group A at the Asia Cup alongside India, Thailand, and Hong Kong, China while Group B comprises Bangladesh, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and United Arab Emirates.
Pakistan will face Thailand on September 1, India on September 5 and Hong Kong, China on September 7.
The semi-finals are scheduled for September 10 and 11, with the final on September 13. All matches will be played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium and start at 7:30 pm Pakistan time.
At the Asian Games, Pakistan are seeded alongside Thailand and will meet them in the fourth quarter-final on September 17 at Korogi Athletic Park in Aichi.
India will meet Japan, Bangladesh face China, and Sri Lanka play Malaysia in the other quarter-finals.
Pakistan, who won gold at the 2010 and 2014 Asian Games, will face either Sri Lanka or Malaysia in the semi-finals if they advance. The medal matches are scheduled for September 22. Pakistan finished fourth at the 2022 Games.
Pakistan will hold a training camp at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore from August 16 to 25.
