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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan women’s cricket captain Fatima Sana and squash star Noor Zaman have been chosen to carry the national flag at the opening ceremony of the 20th Asian Games, scheduled to be held on Saturday, September 19, in Japan’s Aichi-Nagoya.
The selection of the two athletes gives Pakistan a prominent representation at the curtain-raiser of the continent’s biggest multi-sport spectacle, with Fatima Sana representing women’s cricket and Noor Zaman carrying the country’s hopes in squash.
Flag-bearers are often selected from among athletes considered strong medal prospects or prominent representatives of their respective sports. In this case, however, Pakistan’s women’s cricket team does not enter the Asian Games with the same medal expectations as the men’s side, which is led by Sahibzada Farhan and is regarded as having considerably stronger prospects of challenging for the gold medal.
Noor Zaman, meanwhile, represents one of Pakistan’s established medal hopefuls in squash, a sport in which the country has a distinguished Asian Games record. His recent record and form however do not rate him as favourite for gold medal.
The Pakistan Olympic Association extended its best wishes to Noor Zaman and Fatima Sana Khan, describing their selection as a distinguished honour and recognising their role in representing Pakistan at the opening ceremony. The 20th Asian Games will bring together athletes from across the continent, with Pakistan fielding competitors in several sports and hoping to improve its medal tally in Aichi-Nagoya.
