LAHORE: An eight-member Indian boxing squad arrived here on Indo-Pak Friendship Bus via Wagah Border in the afternoon on Thursday to take part in the Benazir International Boxing Championship, which commenced in Islamabad, also on Thursday.

The Indian contingent was scheduled to reach Islamabad Friday morning to join the other participating countries in the event.

Earlier, the Indian squad was to arrive on Wednesday but their arrival was delayed due to some visa problems.

The contingent comprises six boxers, a manager-cum-coach and a masseuse.

Jagdesh Chander Malik, the manager-cum-coach of the Indian squad, said his boxers were aiming to clinch gold medal in the team event at the championship.

Expressing the squad was happy to reach Lahore, Jagdesh said the Benazir Championship would benefit his boxers in their preparations for the 2012 Olympics.

India and Pakistan possessed loads of boxing talent and if bilateral tours were arranged on regular basis it would boost the skills of their boxers for international-standard contests, added the Indian official.

Squad:

Madan Lal (52kg), Sandeep Singh (60kg), Devanshu Jaiswal (75kg), Parminder Singh (81kg), Narender Singh(91kg), Mandeep Singh (+91kg).