In Pictures: Pakistan's Asad Butt wrestles with India's Kumar Sushil during Commonwealth Games

GOLD COAST, Australia: Pakistan’s wrestlers began their 21st Commonwealth Games journey here at the Carrara Stadium wrestling facility on Thursday.However, in first encounter, India´s Kumar Sushil won against Pakistan's Muhammad Asad Butt in men's freestyle 74 kg wrestling match. Wrestling has always been a strong point of Pakistan in the history of the Commonwealth Games. Pakistan’s six-member wrestling squad is capable of giving some prominence to Pakistan, which has so far bagged only two medals — in weightlifting — in the 71-nation spectacle. Pakistan's Muhammad Asad Butt (top) wrestles with India´s Kumar Sushil during the men´s freestyle 74 kg wrestling match at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in the Carrara Sports Arena on the Gold Coast on April 12, 2018. -AFPAll the members of the national team won medals in the last year’s Commonwealth Wrestling Championships in Johannesburg, South Africa. In the 57 kilogramme pre-quarter-finals on Thursday (today), Mohammad Bilal will face Gary Giordmaina of Malta and Asad Butt will be pitted against Oleg Gladkov of Scotland. On Friday (tomorrow), Abdul Wahab will compete in the 62kg pre-quarter-finals against Adam Vella of Malta. Umair Ahmed’s opponent in the 97kg is yet to be known.On April 14, which will be the last day of the wrestling event, Pakistan’s gold medal hope and former Commonwealth Games gold medalist Mohammad Inam will face Australia’s Jayden Lawrence in the 86 kilogramme category pre-quarter-finals. There are 13 entries in this class. On the same day the super heavyweight fighter Tayyab Raza will compete in the 125kg competitions which have only five entries. The competitions of this weight will be held under a single league system because of the little number of entries. The referee raises the hand of the winner, India´s Kumar Sushil (L), against Pakistan´s Muhammad Asad Butt after the men´s freestyle 74 kg wrestling match at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in the Carrara Sports Arena on the Gold Coast on April 12, 2018.-AFPTayyab will fight against Sinivie Bolton of Nigeria in his opener, followed by bouts against Claude Keuamen MBianga of Cameroon, Sumit of India and Canada’s Korey Jarvis.The national wrestlers trained in Iran for 15 days before coming to Australia.

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