A 30-member Indian Bridge contingent has joined the Bridge Federation of Asia and Middle East (BFAME) Championships being held here from May 5 to 13, the 24NewsHD TV channel reported on Friday.  

The team arrived in Lahore via Wagah Border including prominent players like Kiran Shiv Nadar and his wife Shiv Nadar. Pakistan Bridge Federation President Mubasher Luqman welcomed the Indian team. The Indian team of Burj was taken to a hotel under strict security. 

Apart from the home side, India, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, and Bangladesh are competing for the championship at Lahore Gymkhana. 

Indian will play the Pakistan team of 24 players in groups.

Pakistan is hosting the BFAME Championship for the third time as it previously hosted the tournament in 1985 and 2007.

The two finalist teams will directly qualify for the upcoming 46th World Bridge Teams Championships, which will be held later this year.

Pakistan team is represented by a selection of players curated after conducting national bridge trials in Lahore, Karachi, and Islamabad.

The Pakistan women’s team have been represented at the event by seasoned campaigners like Rubina Saeed Hai and Qudsia Dossa.

Mubasher Lucman said, “We are happy to host teams from India, Palestine and the middle east to Pakistan for the auspicious BFAME Championship. This will be the first of many such events for the bridge in Pakistan in 2023 and we are happy to host our neighbours in Pakistan”. 

 Bridge is a card deck game played all over the world professionally. The PBF is hoping to direct the development of the game and its players in Pakistan to help represent Pakistan at the international stage. Pakistan will also be participating in the Asian Games in September 2023.