Pakistan’s table tennis teams face humbling opening to Asian Games

Pakistan’s table tennis teams endured a chastening opening two days at the Asian Games, with the women’s side crashing out of the group stage without winning a single match and the men’s team also losing both of their opening ties. The women’s team suffered a 3-0 defeat to India in their final Group F match at the Sky Hall Toyota on Monday, completing a miserable campaign that began with identical losses to Singapore and Indonesia on Sunday. Against India, 15-year-old Aleena Khan was dispatched in just 10 minutes, losing 11-3, 11-3, 11-4 to the experienced Sutirtha Mukherjee. Kulsoom Khan, 19, then fell in straight games, 11-6, 11-7, 11-5, to Syndrela Das, before Fatima Khan suffered the same fate against Sreeja Akula, India’s highest-ranked player, going down 11-4, 11-4, 11-5 in 11 minutes. Sunday’s defeats followed a similar pattern. Against Singapore, Aleena, Kulsoom and 55-year-old Nosheen Aslam all lost in straight games. Fatima, Kulsoom and Nosheen were then beaten in equally brutal fashion by Indonesia, leaving Pakistan without a single game won across the entire event. The men’s team fared little better. Pakistan lost both of their Sunday ties 3-0, against Iran and Indonesia, and face India later on Monday. Taha Bilal and Abbas Khan were unable to win a game in either match, though Mohammad Khan managed to take one game against Indonesia’s Mohammad Negara.

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