INCHEHON
Pakistan's top pugilist M Waseem is fully geared-up to reach the final of his flyweight division bout of XVII Asian Games Boxing Tournament Thursday. Quetta-based Waseem, Pakistan’s last surviving member of the boxing team, will be pitted against formidable Shakhobidin Zoirov of in the semifinals.  
"I am physically and mentally prepared to take the challenge," he told journalists while watching the Pakistan and Malaysia hockey semifinal on Wednesday night. "We know Uzbek boxers are tough and hard to beat. But this is a sport and with little bit of luck and couple of solid punches can change your destiny," Commonwealth Games silver medalist at Glasgow a couple of month ago, said.
He said standard of boxing in some weight division was tougher than Europe and South America. But he was looking forward to the challenge. Pakistan coach Ali Bakhsh, who himself won the flyweight gold in Asian Games in New Dehli in 1982, said he was working hard to prepare Waseem for this big contest. "Reaching the final will be a great achievement for Pakistan as they have not won silver in Asian Games in the last 12 years," he said. Ali Bakhsh said Waseem got cuts on the left and right eyebrows in his two fights, but is okay for his semifinal contest. He said Waseem is a courageous fist-fighter and if luck favoured him he was capable of reaching the final. Pakistan's five boxers Sanaullah, Ahmed, Nadir Ali, Aamir Khan and Mohib Pasha event bowed out in the pre-quarters and quarterfinal rounds.
Sen beats Arshad in Asian Games Taekwondo: Pakistan's M Atief Archibald went down to a much superior Chinese fighter Sen Qiao in 80 KG round 16 bout of XVII Asian Games Taekwondo competition here at Ganghwa Dolmen Gymnasium Wednesday. Demonstrating brilliant technique, youthful Sen dominated his bout with superb kicking and acrobatic approach emerging a clear 11-4 winner against Arshad. Pakistanis started well by securing two points in the first round to Sen's four. But Sen Qiao blanked him in the second and third round with attacking and tactical play to move into quarterfinal round.
Naseer leads Pakistan to 11th spot in Volleyball: Spectacular Naseer Ahmed scored 20 points to spearhead Pakistan to 11th position when they defeated Saudi Arabia 3-0 in Asian Games Volleyball classification match of the 17th Asian Games at Ansan Sangroksu Gymnasium on Wednesday. This was Pakistan's second win in the event after they defeated Myanmar with Naseer's brilliant smashing and deft shots surprising Saudi players as they emerge 29-27, 25-17, 25-16  winner after 76-minute contest. Saudi players fought gallantly in the extended first game which Pakistan eventually won 29-27 thanks to Naseer and Mohib Rasool, who scored 19 points to give him a grand support. Besides Naseer and Mohib, M Ismail Khan (10) and Shujah Abbas (7) also gave creditable show. Mohib produced the fastest serve of 103 meter per hour. Abdulrehman Al Bakhet was the star player for the Saudi team by contributing 19 points.
More humiliation for score-less Rugby team: Pakistan rugby team continued its nightmarish run in the Asiad as Pakistan have failed to score even a single point in the event and are being thrashed all around by their rivals. On Wednesday, the misery started for Pakistan with a crushing 59-0 defeat at the hands of Philippines. Later in the day, Malaysians also got their muscles flexed with a morale-boosting 36-0 thrashing of the minnows. Pakistan will face Saudi Arabia today for 11th-12th place match.
Road ends for Table Tennis players: The journey of Pakistan male table tennis players ended on Wednesday when M Rameez and M Asim Qureshi both lost their single matches identically in the last 32 round of the event. In first match, Iranian Noshad Daronkolaei took just 15 minutes to register a thumping 4-0 victory over Rameez 11-6, 11-5, 11-4, 11-7. In second match it was Chinese Taipei’s Chih Yuan Chuang crushed Asim 4-0 in just 17 minutes. The scoreline was 11-3, 11-7, 11-3 and 11-5.