'We are all behind you': Pakistan cricketers extend best wishes to Tokyo Olympics contingent

The Tokyo Olympics will kickoff today without spectators due to coronavirus

Web Desk

July 23, 2021

We are all behind you: Pakistan cricketers extend best wishes to Tokyo Olympics contingent

"I am sure you all will give it your best to bring glory to the country": Sarfaraz Ahmed.
"It is a big occasion for these athletes; we would be giving them all the support": Nida Dar
Tokyo Olympics will kickoff today without spectators due to coronavirus

KARACHI: Pakistani cricketers have extended best wishes to the national contingent taking part in the Tokyo Olympics, kicking off on July 23.

The quadrennial sporting extravaganza initially scheduled for summer 2020 will start today with an opening ceremony without spectators due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cricketers Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Hasnain, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shadab Khan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi and women team’s all-rounders Aliya Riaz and Nida Dar gave their encouragement and support to their fellow national athletes who would be vying for glory in nine different events.

The PCB today released a video with messages of the seven men and two women players.

Wishing good luck to the Tokyo Olympics contingent, all-rounder Aliya Riaz said: “Please enjoy yourself and give it your best shot; we are all behind you.”

All-rounder Nida Dar said she was rooting for Pakistani athletes as it was a big occasion for them and vowed to give them all the support they needed.

"I am backing the Pakistan Tokyo Olympics contingent to do well in the biggest sporting extravaganza. It is a big occasion for these athletes; we would be giving them all the support they need and would follow their progress," she said.

Especially wishing Mahoor Shahzad, Bisma Khan, and Arshad Nadeem the best of luck, former skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed hoped the athletes would bring glory to the country.

“I want to wish Pakistan’s Tokyo Olympics contingent the very best. My best wishes are with all the athletes, especially Mahoor Shahzad, Bisma Khan, and Arshad Nadeem. I am sure you all will give it your best to bring glory to the country," Sarfaraz said.

Shadab Khan, expressing his support, said: “My best wishes are with all the athletes who are representing Pakistan in the Tokyo Olympics. Go well.”

“Good luck to the entire Pakistan Tokyo Olympics contingent, especially Shah Hussain and Talha Talib," pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi said.

Wishing the best for the athletes, Faheem Ashraf said: “My best wishes are with Pakistani athletes competing in the Tokyo Olympics. Good luck and go well.”

Batsman Fakhar Zaman said: “I want to wish the very best to Pakistan’s Tokyo Olympics contingent, especially Mahoor Shahzad and Najma Parveen.”

Asking the players to enjoy themselves while they are out there and assuring that the whole country was backing them, Hasan Ali expressed his confidence in the contingent.

"My best wishes are with our Tokyo Olympics contingent. Please [...] enjoy yourself and give your best. The entire country is backing you," he said.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Hasnain added: “My best wishes are with the athletes and officials representing Pakistan in the Tokyo Olympics, especially Arshad Nadeem and Bisma Khan.”

Pakistan athletes would be competing in 200 metre Athletics, Badminton – Women Singles, Judo - 100 Kg, Shooting - 10 metre Air Pistol, Swimming 100 metre Freestyle Men’s and 50 metre Women’s, and 67kg Weightlifting.

Pakistan’s last Olympics medal was the bronze the national hockey team achieved in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. The last individual medal was the bronze grabbed by boxer Hussain Shah in the 1988 Seoul Olympics.