Pakistan’s hopes in Asian Games wrestling ended on Friday, when Noman Zaka and Mohammad Abdullah were knocked out of the men’s freestyle competition in Nagoya. Zaka won his opening bout but then lost in the quarter-finals and the repechage. Abdullah lost his first bout in the 65kg qualification round. Neither wrestler reached the bronze medal contests at the 20th Asian Games.
Background: Wrestling at the Nagoya Games
Wrestling at the 2026 Asian Games runs from September 30 to October 3 at the Nagoya City Inae Sports Center. United World Wrestling reported that 258 wrestlers entered across freestyle, women’s wrestling and Greco-Roman. There are 18 medal events in total, with six weight categories in each of the three styles.
Pakistan has a proud history in the sport at this level. At the first wrestling competition in 1954 in Manila, Pakistan finished second in the medal table with one gold, one silver and two bronze medals. The gold came from Din Mohammad in the flyweight class. Pakistan has also won an Olympic wrestling bronze in 1960, which remains a highlight for the sport at home.
In recent years, though, results have been harder to come by. Competition from Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan, India and others has grown stronger. That makes any win for a Pakistani wrestler worth noting, even when it does not lead to a medal.
Details: How the Bouts Went
Noman Zaka, entered in the men’s freestyle 86kg class, began well. In the round of 16, he faced Cambodia’s Vuthy Heng at the Nagoya City Inae Sports Center. He raced to a 10-4 lead and then secured the win by fall, which moved him into the quarter-finals.
The quarter-final was a different story. Zaka was beaten 10-0 by Japan’s Hayato Ishiguro, who was declared the winner by technical superiority. That rule ends a bout early when one wrestler builds a big enough points lead, so the match stopped before the full time.
Zaka still had a chance through the repechage, which gives beaten wrestlers a route to the bronze medal match. There he lost 10-0 to Kazakhstan’s Azamat Dauletbekov, again by technical superiority. Tribune describes Dauletbekov as a two-time world bronze medallist and a three-time Asian champion, which shows the standard of opponent Zaka faced.
Abdullah’s Qualification Round Loss
Mohammad Abdullah competed in the men’s freestyle 65kg class. He lost 13-2 to North Korea’s Kim Kwang Jin in the qualification round. Abdullah scored two points but could not stop his opponent’s attack.
Because the loss came in the first round, Abdullah’s tournament ended quickly. His result was disappointing for a wrestler described as a promising talent. The report did not say whether he had a repechage chance.
Quotes: What Officials and Reports Said
No official statement from the Pakistan Wrestling Federation or the Pakistan Olympic Association had appeared in the reports reviewed at the time of writing. Tribune described both wrestlers as promising but said they failed to deliver a breakthrough. Any comments from coaches or officials may follow once the team returns.
Wrestling analysts often note that technical superiority results, like the two 10-0 scores Zaka suffered, show a gap in experience and conditioning. They also say that exposure to top-level opponents helps young wrestlers improve over time. These are general views, not comments on this specific event.
Impact: What the Results Mean for Pakistan
For Pakistan’s Asian Games campaign, the exit means one less chance for a medal in a sport with a strong past. The country has still had success elsewhere at these Games, including a shooting bronze for Ghulam Mustafa Bashir. Wrestling was seen as a possible source of more medals, so the early losses are a setback.
For Pakistani wrestling, the results point to a need for more international exposure and better preparation. Zaka’s win by fall in the first round shows he has talent, but the two 10-0 losses show how far the gap to the top Asian wrestlers can be. Federations in Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan and India invest heavily in camps and competitions.
At the regional level, Japan and Kazakhstan once again showed their strength in freestyle wrestling. India has also been active, with Sunil Kumar reaching the semi-finals in the men’s 87kg Greco-Roman event and taking a bronze, according to Olympics.com. Pakistan’s wrestlers will need to close this gap before the next Games.
Conclusion: What Comes Next
Wrestling at the Asian Games ends on October 3, and Pakistan no longer has wrestlers in the men’s freestyle events reported here. Attention will now shift to Pakistan’s other athletes in the remaining days of the Games. The medal count will also be updated as events finish.
After the Games, the key question is how Pakistan can improve its wrestling programme. More international tournaments, proper training camps and long-term planning could help young wrestlers like Zaka and Abdullah. For now, their Nagoya campaign ends with lessons rather than medals.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is Pakistan in Asian Games 2026?
Yes, Pakistan is competing at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, which run from September 19 to October 4, 2026. The country has sent athletes in several sports, including shooting, squash and wrestling. Pakistan has already won medals at these Games, including a shooting bronze by Ghulam Mustafa Bashir, and a squash team silver reported by Dawn. In wrestling, Noman Zaka and Mohammad Abdullah were the Pakistani freestyle entries reported in the men’s events, but both exited early. Updated results are available from the official Asian Games website and the Pakistan Olympic Association.
Which wrestler is from Pakistan?
At these Asian Games, the Pakistani wrestlers in the men’s freestyle competition are Noman Zaka, who competed in the 86kg class, and Mohammad Abdullah, who competed in the 65kg class. Both were described by Tribune as promising wrestlers, and both lost on Friday in Nagoya. In history, Pakistan’s best-known wrestling achievements include Din Mohammad’s gold at the 1954 Asian Games and a bronze at the 1960 Olympics. Pakistan has also produced successful wrestlers at South Asian and Commonwealth level. For the full squad list, check the Pakistan Wrestling Federation or the official Games entries.
How many medals has Pakistan won in Asian Games?
Pakistan has won a good number of medals since it first took part in the Asian Games, with many coming from hockey, athletics, boxing, wrestling and squash. The exact all-time total depends on the source and on how medals from early Games are counted, so I cannot give one reliable figure here. At these 2026 Games, reports have mentioned a shooting bronze, a squash silver and several other bronzes. For an accurate number, check the Olympic Council of Asia’s official medal database or the Pakistan Olympic Association. Totals will also change as the final days of the Games unfold.
Notes for you (not part of the article):
- Sources: the bout details come from the Express Tribune report. The schedule and entries come from UWW and Olympics.com, and the 1954 Games history comes from Wikipedia.
- Conflicting line: Tribune’s text says Abdullah “lost his first bout” to a Japanese wrestler, then says he lost 13-2 to North Korea’s Kim Kwang Jin. I used only the 13-2 North Korea result, since it is the specific detail. Please check this before publishing.
- Not verified: the 1960 Olympic bronze and the general Pakistan wrestling history come from general knowledge. I did not give a total Pakistan medal count, because I could not find a reliable number.
- Schedule: I gave the dates and venue only. Daily session times were not available, so please add them from the official site if you want.
- Quotes: no direct quotes were available, so none are invented.
- Keywords: your schedule, live and results keywords appear naturally. The headline differs from the Tribune title.
- Originality: the article is in fresh wording, not copied from Tribune.
- Citations: if the citation markers do not copy into your CMS, remove them before pasting.
