Pakistan, Sept. 22 -- Pakistan's table-tennis players could hardly have had a rougher introduction to the Asian Games. The women went out of the team event without winning a single game against Singapore, Indonesia or India. The men lost 3-0 to Iran and Indonesia before India completed another straight-sets sweep on Monday. Fifteen-year-old Aleena Khan lasted just 10 minutes against India's Sutirtha Mukherjee. In the pool, Hamza Asif finished 30th in the 50-metre freestyle heats, while Pakistan's soft-tennis pairs were similarly overwhelmed.

Yet elsewhere in Japan, another side of Pakistani sport was on display.

The hockey team opened with a 9-0 demolition of Thailand. Kabaddi produced a 65-22 rout of Malaysia. Asim Khan secured the cou...