20-Dec-2011
The News
Our Correspondent
KARACHI: Pakistan on Monday vowed to put aside the bitter memories of a poor seventh-place finish at this month’s Champions Trophy and make their first ‘home’ assignment in almost seven years a memorable one.
The Greenshirts were whipped by top teams in the Champions Trophy played in Auckland from December 3-11 but the script is likely to change for them against lower-ranked China in a four-Test series which gets underway here at the Hockey Club of Pakistan Stadium on Wednesday (tomorrow).
Pakistan have stamped their authority as the number one team in Asia after regaining the Asian Games crown in Guangzhou (China) where the hosts performed unimpressively to finish fifth.
On the basis of current form book, Pakistan are unlikely to face much problems in winning the series against China, who landed here late on Monday night. But national hockey officials are not taking anything for granted.
“They are no more a minor team in international hockey,” Shahid Ali Khan, Pakistan’s coach, told ‘The News’ here on Monday. “China have evolved into a reasonably good team and they have the guts to give us a tough time,” added Shahid, a former Olympian.
But Shahid was quick to add that his charges were ready to give their best in a bid to win all the four matches by a convincing margin.
“This series comes just days after the Champions Trophy where our results were not up to the mark,” said Shahid. “That’s why we have to produce good results in the forthcoming matches. The good news is that our boys have forgotten what happened in Auckland and are fully focused on the matches against China.”
Michel van den Heuvel, Pakistan’s Dutch head coach, is on a Christmas leave which leaves team manager Khawaja Junaid and coach Shahid at the helm of team affairs.
Shahid believed that the pressure will be on Pakistan because of the fact that they are the higher-ranked team and will be playing in front of its home fans.
“China will have little to lose and the pressure will be on Pakistan. Everybody will be expecting us to win the series without much fuss.” The worn-out turf at the HCP will certainly be posing a lot of problems to both the team.
In spite of being the home team, Pakistan are yet to train at the HCP where the organisers are carrying out renovation work ahead of tomorrow’s series-opener.
On Monday, Pakistan trained at the Iftikhar Syed Hockey Academy because of the renovation work at the HCP. However, both Pakistan and China will hold pre-match training sessions here at the HCP on Tuesday (today). The teams will play the first two tests at the HCP while the last two games will be held in Faisalabad and Lahore later this week.
Pakistan have decided against making many changes in the line-up that flopped in the Champions trophy. The only man absent is their drag flick ace Sohail Abbas, who is still recovering from a nasty injury he sustained in Auckland early this month. Umar Bhutta has replaced Sohail for the series against China.
Pakistan will miss Sohail’s services but Shahid stressed that in Muhammad Imran they have a capable short corner expert. “Sohail is a key player and will be missed but we are sure that players like Imran will give their best against China.”
Pakistan have played little international hockey at home since hosting the 2004 Champions Trophy in Lahore which is why the forthcoming series against China holds a lot of significance for local officials and fans.
“It’s after a long time that we will be playing at home,” said Shahid. “We see it as a huge development and the boys are looking forward to making the series a memorable one.”
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