Pakistan is One of 26 Best Badminton Teams in World
'Pakistan Times' Wire Service

ISLAMABAD: An official of Pakistan Badminton Federation Wednesday defended his claim about Pakistan being one of the best 26 nations in the world in the men's team event of badminton.

The PBF Senior Vice President, Syed Naqi Mohsin, told reporters that Thomas Cup formed the basis of determining which country was doing well in the men's team event of badminton.

"International Badminton Federation doesn't compile a formal men's team event rankings though it does count individual singles and doubles rankings", Naqi said.

"IBF clearly stipulates in its reference book that performance in Thomas Cup,

which is a men's team event, will provide the basis of deciding which nations were faring well in men's event", he added.

The PBF was seeking to clarify a media report that his claim of Pakistan being one of the best 26 nations in men's team event was vastly exaggerated.

The claim was made during the inauguration of triseries international invitational badminton tournament here earlier this month.

"We finished eighth during the preliminary round of Thomas Cup at Jaipur(India) in February last year. Pakistan couldn't figure in the 12 Nations which qualified for the final round of Thomas Cup but it was among the 14 other Nations which fared well in the preliminary rounds despite not qualifying", Naqi explained.

He said Pakistani players had slipped in individual international rankings but it was because they participated in lesser number of events and not because their standards had declined.

He said the current PBF was trying to send Pakistan male and female players to more and more international events. IBF required the players to compete in minimum eight international events.

Naqi said the current PBF President Lt. Gen. (r) Muhammad Akram and Secretary General Aamir Hayat Khan Rokhri were trying to generate more funds over and above the Rs. one million annual grant for PBF.

He said PBF would hold 10-nation international satellite badminton tournament at Liaquat Gymnasium, Pakistan Sports Complex, from November 30 to December 3 this year.●