With the colts giving final touches to their preparations for this month’s Junior Asia Hockey Cup, team coach Ahmed Alam feels his side has what it takes to defend the title which they claimed two years ago.
The training camp for the junior squad, which started in Lahore two months ago, is in the final stage at Karachi’s Hockey Club of Pakistan and will culminate on June 13. The third edition of Junior Asia Hockey Cup will be held from June 17 to July 26 in Singapore and ten teams including Singapore, Pakistan, Korea, Malaysia, China, Chinese Taipei, Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan, Indonesia and Brunei will take part in the tournament.
Alam optimistic of team’s performance
Pakistan won the last edition of the tournament by defeating Malaysia 4-3 in the final and the coach sees no reason why his team cannot defend the title in Singapore.
“The boys are well prepared,” the former Olympian told The Express Tribune. “They’ve worked hard in this extensive camp. If the team plays up to its calibre, I don’t see any reason why it cannot defend the title.”
Pakistan will launch its campaign against Brunei on June 19.
Six players join camp
Meanwhile, the coach informed that the six players who were released from the seniors’ camp have now joined the junior camp. These players include captain Mazhar Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan, Bilal Qadir, Arsalan Qadir, Ali Shah and Mohammad Irfan.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 11th, 2011.
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