Two rugby teams to take part in Pakistan tourney

While there is a lot of hype surrounding the Pakistan cricket team’s visit to India in December, a rugby team from New Delhi quietly slipped across the border on Tuesday night to participate in an international sports festival in Lahore from November 7
to 15.

The festival, organised by the Pakistan government, will feature rugby teams from New Zealand, Europe, Cambodia, Uzbekistan, Hong Kong and other countries.

The authorities invited two teams from India, and the Indian Rugby Football Union (IRFU) selected teams from Jammu and Kashmir and New Delhi to represent the country.

“It was very gracious of the Pakistan authorities to invite our teams to participate in the festival. It will be a great exposure to our players competing against them and the other teams,” said IRFU president Pramod Khanna, adding that the last time an Indian rugby team went to Pakistan was way back 2007.

Eleven players and three officials of the Delhi Hurricanes club left for Pakistan on Tuesday night while the team from Jammu and Kashmir is already in Lahore.

“Our boys are very excited to go there. We usually do not get such chances. So we are all geared up for it,” said Delhi Hurricanes coach, Sandeep Bist.

Pakistan captain Omar Islam Butt said his nation was looking forward to welcoming the Indians to their shores and are eagerly waiting to play against them. “It will be a great match. I’m sure they will feel at home here,” he added.