ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Kabaddi team’s future hope, Syed Mudassar ALi Shah is quite optimistic about national team’s chances to lift the Asian Games Kabaddi gold in Jakarta, Indonesia next month.

The 21-year-old in an exclusive interview with The Nation on Tuesday at Pakistan Sports Complex where Kabaddi team is training in three sessions for the Asian Games, said he made his international debut alst, while he was also Lahore teams’ captain in the first-ever Pakistan Kabaddi League, which gave Pakistan too much talent and future of the game looks highly bright.

He said although Pakistan managed bronze medal in the recently held Dubai Championship but they committed too many childish mistakes and now coaches are working on those minor issues.

“We had beaten the likes of mighty Iran in Iran and we can beat even India, who enjoy tremendous financial support besides round the year national international events being conducted in India. We are by no means any lesser to them or any other team. We lack behind due to less exposure.”

But Mudassar said with the advent of Pakistan Super Kabaddi League things were fast changing and now they have not only reasonable cash available by the respective franchises but also a lot of raw talent has been detected, which could help Pakistan in the days to come.

“I started playing kabaddi at very young age as my grandfather and father were also national kabaddi players and I from the day one had made up my mind of representing Pakistan in the international events. My dream is to lift World Cup title with the national team. I play both beach and circle style kabaddi. Let me assure all, we have one of the world’s best coaches and best players.”

Mudasar said they were in the training camp for the past six months as they played some international tournaments and now for the last two weeks they are training in three or two sessions. We are getting excellent diet, supplements and meal at the Allama Iqbal Hostel is also good, while we are being provided with excellent accommodation at same place. In Iran, we won silver medal out of 12 participating teams and we beat Iran, we lost unfortunately final against India and that too by only 4 points.”

He said all the players were working very hard for the Asian Games. “I play for Pakistan. I had played three national tournaments and I represent Navy and my department has helped me a great deal during these events.

To promote the game he suggested providing the kabaddi players with jobs and establishing academies at every major city to improve the standard. “Until player is financially strong and they are free from tension of earning bread and butter for their families, we are not going to produce gold medals,” he added.

“We only play 4 to 5 matches in whole year in the past. India on the other hand play round the year and took only two months rest. Pakistan Kabaddi Federation should invite international teams to Pakistan and also send us to play bilateral series.”

He said Pakistan have some highly exciting young talent including Nadeem, Ali Shan, Abid, Waqar, while it also have one of the best in the world including the national team captain skpper Nasir, who is presently injured, while Wasim Sajjad, Kashif and Ikhlaq Hussian are world famous and enjoy huge reputation. “They can still play for another 5 years, which is quite blessing for Pakistan. We will face stiff resistance from India, Iran, Korea, China and Japan in the Asian Games but keeping in mind our preparations, we will give them a real run for their money,” Mudassar concluded.