The News

 

KARACHI: In spite of what they term as a ‘major setback’, Pakistan remain upbeat about their chances of winning the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group II opener against ‘dicey’ Lebanon in Beirut next month.

Pakistan have been forced to play their ‘home’ tie in Beirut from February 10-12 after Lebanon refused to come here because of security concerns. The change of venue, according to Pakistan’s coach Rashid Malik is a huge disadvantage for his team, which is hoping to win back a place in Group-I this year.

“We would have been hands down favourites to beat Lebanon in own backyard,” Malik, a former Davis Cupper, told ‘The News’ on Tuesday. “Had we been allowed to host the tie on grass, which is our favourite surface, I don’t believe there would have been any problems for us in winning it,” he added. “But now we will have to travel to Lebanon and play the tie on clay, which is our least favourite surface. That makes this match a dicey one, to say the least,” he stressed.

However, Malik was quick to ad that with two highly-experienced players — Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi and Aqeel Khan — in their line-up, Pakistan will go all out for a convincing win in their first-round encounter.

Pakistan were supposed to be the hosts of the tie but the International Tennis Federation (ITF) decided to move it to Lebanon because of security apprehensions. Pakistan protested against the decision but their appeal was rejected by the ITF last week.

Pakistan have not hosted a Davis Cup tie at home since 2005 when they had their best year in the event’s history as Aisam and Aqeel guided them to the World Group Playoffs for the first time in history. However, it has been downhill for Pakistan since then primarily because they haven’t hosted a single tie at home in the last six years.

Meanwhile, the country’s tennis authorities have exempted Aisam and Aqeel from national trials which will begin in Islamabad from January 9 to select two more players to complete a four-man team for the Lebanon assignment.

“Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) has invited eight players for the trials which will be held on a round-robin basis,” Khalid Rehmani, the PTF vice-president, told ‘The News’. “Aqeel will attend a training camp after the trials while Aisam will join the team directly before its departure to Beirut,” he said.

The Aisam-Aqeel partnership is Pakistan’s most successful team in Davis Cup history. Aisam is by far the most successful players in both singles and doubles for Pakistan while Aqeel holds the distinction for representing the country in most Davis Cup ties (35).

Malik said that his optimism ahead of the Beirut match springs from the fact that Aisam and Aqeel have the experience to beat Lebanon. “Both Aisam and Aqeel are highly experienced players and I’m confident that they will lead us to vistory against Lebanon.”

However, Malik made it clear that Pakistan will have to work hard to beat Lebanon, who he believes are a tough team to beat on home soil. “The biggest cause for concern as I’m concerned is that we have to play the tie on clay,” he said. “Both Aisam and Aqeel can play on clay but it’s not their favourite surface. Secondly, Lebanon have a few very experienced players and we will have to give our best to beat them.”

Pakistan and Lebanon have just met once in Davis Cup history. It was in 1999 that Pakistan travelled to Beirut and were beaten 4-1 by the hosts. Aisam wasn’t a part of the touring party which had the services of Aqeel Khan.

While Lebanon fell to Sri Lanka in the 2010 Davis Cup, Pakistan were blanked 4-0 by South Korea in their second round match last year.

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TOP DUO: Will Aqeel Khan (left) and Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi deliver against Lebanon?