Pakistan hopes its young wrestlers will make presence felt in Islamic Games

Pakistan Wrestling Federation (PWF) has finalized a four-member squad to represent the country at the Islamic Games scheduled to be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from November 7 to 21.

PWF is hoping that its wrestlers will make their presence in the prestigious event later this year.

The selected wrestlers include Abdullah (65kg), Inayatullah (74kg), Haider Ali (86kg) and Mohammad Gulzar (97kg). These athletes were chosen following open trials held in Gujranwala in which around 50 wrestlers participated.

The Islamic Games, known for their highly competitive standard, attract elite wrestlers from across the Muslim world making the event comparable to the Olympics and World Wrestling Championships in terms of talent and intensity.

One of the standout performers during the trials was Mohammad Gulzar who caused a major upset by defeating the experienced Tayyab Raza in the 97kg weight category. A hardworking and promising athlete Gulzar’s selection was seen as a significant outcome of the trials. While he is new on the international scene the federation believes he has great potential if provided with proper support and focused development.

Abdullah and Haider Ali are also considered rising prospects. Though they lack international exposure both have shown impressive potential and could emerge as future stars in the sport.

Inayatullah, a Youth Olympics bronze medalist, brings valuable experience to the squad. After a period away from competition due to fitness issues he has now regained form and is expected to lead the team with his performance in Riyadh.

The training camp for the selected wrestlers has already commenced in Gujranwala which also hosted the trials. The trials were supervised by former wrestling legend and current PWF Secretary Mohammad Inam Butt.

“Thanks God, Pakistan’s most deserving wrestlers have been selected for the Islamic Games,” Inam told Nukta.

“Our team is very young. Abdullah is under-22, Haider also lacks exposure and Gulzar, despite weighing only 93kg is set to compete in 97kg. His win over Tayyab Raza was impressive. Except for Inayatullah the entire squad is quite junior,” he said.

Inam highlighted the challenging nature of the competition noting the presence of world-class wrestlers from countries such as Iran, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Albania and Bahrain.

“The Islamic Games are nearly on par with the World Championships and Olympics in terms of standard,” Inam added.

“Realistically, we are not expecting medals this time, but our aim is to give maximum exposure to our athletes and prepare them for the future,” he said.

The PWF is also working on arranging a one-month international training program for the team with support from the Pakistan Sports Board to help the wrestlers better prepare for the Games.

“These boys are Pakistan’s future,” Inam emphasized. “If we invest in them over the next three years, they can serve the country for the next eight to ten years. The trials were fair and transparent and the camp has been launched without delay,” he said.

While wrestling in Pakistan has seen progress in recent years, consistent international exposure remains the biggest challenge facing the sport. Without it, national wrestlers struggle to improve their world rankings which is critical for Olympic qualification and success on the global stage.