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By Muhammad Ali
LAHORE: An 18-member Pakistan squad, led by Zeeshan Ashraf, left here for India to participate in the 10th Hockey World Cup to be played at Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi from February 28 to March 13. Former champions Pakistan qualified for the World Cup after winning a six-team competition in France in November last year. This was the only time they had to go through qualification because of their low rankings. The other participating teams in the World Cup are Australia, Canada, England, Germany, South Korea, Netherlands, South Africa, Spain, India, Argentina and New Zealand. It is a tough test for us, but we have prepared extensively and hope that by winning the world title we will revive our hockey, captain Zeeshan told reporters before the teams departure. Zeeshan, a seasoned defender, said keeping the teams recent record against India his boys were itching to take the field against the archrivals. We have beaten India in our last three clashes in the recent past and this record will put extra pressure on them, he added.
Relations between the nuclear-armed rivals have simmered since a November 2008 attack on the Indian financial capital Mumbai, which New Delhi blamed on Pakistan-based militants. Security fears surfaced after a bombing last weekend at a restaurant in the western Indian city of Pune, which killed 12 people but the green shirts were cleared to travel to New Delhi after a delegation visited the Indian capital and assessed security arrangements. This will be the Pakistan hockey teams first visit to India since 2006. Any pull-out or disruption for India would have been a major blow as it gears up to host the Commonwealth Games in October, the biggest sporting event on Indian soil since the Asian Games in 1982.
Pakistan, who won record four world titles, have performed badly in the last decade. Their last major title was in 1994 at the World Cup in Australia and they finished eighth at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, their worst-ever placing. The tournament hosts are hardly faring any better and have not won a major title since the Moscow Olympics in 1980. We are hoping that this World Cup revives Asian glory, said Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) general secretary and team manager Mohammad Asif Bajwa. Pakistan and India are two important countries in Asian hockey and must do well to lift the standard.
The Pakistan squad have two new faces in Umar Bhutta and Mohammad Rizwan who have replaced forwards Shafqat Rasool and Abbas Haider. Pakistan also boast the services of penalty corner expert Sohail Abbas, who has a world record tally of 306 goals. Bajwa said the players were heading to India as ambassadors of peace. Players have always been ambassadors of peace and we hope to play hockey without any fears and hope that Indo-Pak sporting ties are revived, maintained Bajwa. Pakistan are in Group B along with Australia, England, India, South Africa and Spain. They play their first match against archrivals India on the opening day. Defending champions Germany, Argentina, New Zealand, the Netherlands, South Korea and Canada form Group A. When Pakistan play India it always sparks interest and I hope its a very good match which gives a kick start to the event, said head coach Shahid Ali Khan.
Shahid expressed confidence in the team, saying they would give other teams of the group a run for their money in the tournament. Ours is a very balanced team. All the best available players are in it. We have some very experienced players as well as several talented youngsters and that is why I am confident that we can do well against any team. Shahid said a lot would depend upon how the senior players of the team perform. After facing India, Pakistan play Spain on March 2, England on March 4, South Africa on March 6 and Australia on March 8.
Pakistan, winners of three Olympic gold medals and who remained up in the clouds for more than three decades, have been striving hard for a big title. They have not won any Asian title since winning the Asian Games in China 19 years ago. Pakistan have never missed a World Cup since the events inception in 1971 in Barcelona. Pakistan won the inaugural title and then went on to clinch three more titles in 1978 in Buenos Aires, 1982 in Mumbai and 1994 in Sydney. Pakistan have reached the World Cup final six times.
Squad:
Salman Akbar and Nasir Ahmad (goalkeepers), Zeeshan Ashraf (captain), Sohail Abbas and Muhammad Imran (full-backs), Waseem Ahmad, Sajjad Anwar, Fareed Ahmad, Muhammad Irfan and Muhammad Rashid (Halve-backs), Shakeel Abbasi, Muhammad Zubair, Muhammad Zubair, Rehan Butt, Abdul Haseem Khan, Akhtar Ali, Omar Bhutta and Mohammad Rizwan (Forwards).
LAHORE: An 18-member Pakistan squad, led by Zeeshan Ashraf, left here for India to participate in the 10th Hockey World Cup to be played at Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi from February 28 to March 13. Former champions Pakistan qualified for the World Cup after winning a six-team competition in France in November last year. This was the only time they had to go through qualification because of their low rankings. The other participating teams in the World Cup are Australia, Canada, England, Germany, South Korea, Netherlands, South Africa, Spain, India, Argentina and New Zealand. It is a tough test for us, but we have prepared extensively and hope that by winning the world title we will revive our hockey, captain Zeeshan told reporters before the teams departure. Zeeshan, a seasoned defender, said keeping the teams recent record against India his boys were itching to take the field against the archrivals. We have beaten India in our last three clashes in the recent past and this record will put extra pressure on them, he added.
Relations between the nuclear-armed rivals have simmered since a November 2008 attack on the Indian financial capital Mumbai, which New Delhi blamed on Pakistan-based militants. Security fears surfaced after a bombing last weekend at a restaurant in the western Indian city of Pune, which killed 12 people but the green shirts were cleared to travel to New Delhi after a delegation visited the Indian capital and assessed security arrangements. This will be the Pakistan hockey teams first visit to India since 2006. Any pull-out or disruption for India would have been a major blow as it gears up to host the Commonwealth Games in October, the biggest sporting event on Indian soil since the Asian Games in 1982.
Pakistan, who won record four world titles, have performed badly in the last decade. Their last major title was in 1994 at the World Cup in Australia and they finished eighth at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, their worst-ever placing. The tournament hosts are hardly faring any better and have not won a major title since the Moscow Olympics in 1980. We are hoping that this World Cup revives Asian glory, said Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) general secretary and team manager Mohammad Asif Bajwa. Pakistan and India are two important countries in Asian hockey and must do well to lift the standard.
The Pakistan squad have two new faces in Umar Bhutta and Mohammad Rizwan who have replaced forwards Shafqat Rasool and Abbas Haider. Pakistan also boast the services of penalty corner expert Sohail Abbas, who has a world record tally of 306 goals. Bajwa said the players were heading to India as ambassadors of peace. Players have always been ambassadors of peace and we hope to play hockey without any fears and hope that Indo-Pak sporting ties are revived, maintained Bajwa. Pakistan are in Group B along with Australia, England, India, South Africa and Spain. They play their first match against archrivals India on the opening day. Defending champions Germany, Argentina, New Zealand, the Netherlands, South Korea and Canada form Group A. When Pakistan play India it always sparks interest and I hope its a very good match which gives a kick start to the event, said head coach Shahid Ali Khan.
Shahid expressed confidence in the team, saying they would give other teams of the group a run for their money in the tournament. Ours is a very balanced team. All the best available players are in it. We have some very experienced players as well as several talented youngsters and that is why I am confident that we can do well against any team. Shahid said a lot would depend upon how the senior players of the team perform. After facing India, Pakistan play Spain on March 2, England on March 4, South Africa on March 6 and Australia on March 8.
Pakistan, winners of three Olympic gold medals and who remained up in the clouds for more than three decades, have been striving hard for a big title. They have not won any Asian title since winning the Asian Games in China 19 years ago. Pakistan have never missed a World Cup since the events inception in 1971 in Barcelona. Pakistan won the inaugural title and then went on to clinch three more titles in 1978 in Buenos Aires, 1982 in Mumbai and 1994 in Sydney. Pakistan have reached the World Cup final six times.
Squad:
Salman Akbar and Nasir Ahmad (goalkeepers), Zeeshan Ashraf (captain), Sohail Abbas and Muhammad Imran (full-backs), Waseem Ahmad, Sajjad Anwar, Fareed Ahmad, Muhammad Irfan and Muhammad Rashid (Halve-backs), Shakeel Abbasi, Muhammad Zubair, Muhammad Zubair, Rehan Butt, Abdul Haseem Khan, Akhtar Ali, Omar Bhutta and Mohammad Rizwan (Forwards).
