Games declare open as Lankan spikers fail to impress

By Naushad Amit in Kathmandu

The 13th South Asian Games (SAG) 2019 was declared open at the Dasarath Rangasala Stadium in Kathmandu yesterday, amidst a colourful opening ceremony at 5.30 pm local time. Teams representing the seven participating countries – hosts Nepal, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Maldives, paraded inside the stadium, in front of keen sports enthusiasts of Kathmandu and other nations. 

By yesterday, teams of all sports representing Sri Lanka had reached Kathmandu and Pokhara, the two venue cities where the 13th SAG is conducted. Sri Lanka’s flag bearer at the opening ceremony was its Chef-de-Mission Dampath Fernando, as almost all sports teams of island nation rallied behind him except for few teams currently active in Pokhara, almost 300 km away from the Nepal capital.

The Men’s and Women’s kho-kho teams were in action yesterday, but experienced massive losses in their respective opening round games at Kritipur, Naya Bazaar in Kathmandu. In the curtain-raiser game of kho-kho India thrashed Sri Lanka by 32-4 after entirely dominating the game. Hosts Nepal enjoyed a fruitful day, winning their Women’s match against Bangladesh by 11-9. 

The Nepal Men’s team followed the trend set by their women, edging out Bangladesh by 21-19 after a close battle. In another repeater of what their women experienced earlier, the Men’s kho-kho team was comprehensively defeated by India 8-21.

The remaining preliminary round matches of kho-kho will be held today at the same venue, with Sri Lanka Men set to begin the day in their quest against Bangladesh at 9 a.m. Two hours later the game between Nepal and India. 

The Women’s kho-kho matches will begin with the game between Nepal and India at 9 a.m., and will proceed with the games between Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh, and during the evening matches between Nepal vs India and Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh are set to complete the first round.

Sri Lanka men’s kho-kho team will take on Bangladesh in the first game before the match between Nepal and India before noon. In the afternoon Sri Lanka men will take on Nepal men, before the final Men’s game between India and Bangladesh. The Men’s and Women’s knockout round will begin tomorrow morning. 

Sri Lanka’s hope of winning a medal in volleyball faced a blow when the Men’s team was defeated 3-1 by the strong Indians in the first semi-final. India won the first set 27-25 after a strong battle to lead the sets early, and extended their lead to 2-0, after winning the second game 25-19 easily. Sri Lanka countered with a strong retaliation, to win the third set 25-21, but India sealed the match by winning the fourth set 25-21 and not dragging the game to a five-setter.

In the second semi-final, Pakistan recorded a 3-0 cleanup against Bangladesh with set scores of 25-15, 25-21 and 26-24. Bangladesh will now play Sri Lanka in the Third Place Playoff at the Cover Hall in Tripoureshwor.

Sri Lanka women lost to Nepal in the second semi-final and are slotted to take on Maldives in the Women’s Third Place Playoff at 4 p.m. today at the Cover Hall in Tripureshwor. The Women’s final will take place tomorrow at 2 p.m. between India and Nepal at 2 p.m. before the Men’s final between India and Pakistan at 4 p.m. The games will continue until 10 December.