Team upbeat ahead of Champions Trophy: Bajwa
Training camp to begin on November 13 in Islamabad.
LAHORE:
The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Secretary Asif Bajwa said the team was in good shape and looking forward to an impressive performance in the upcoming Champions Trophy in December, for which the training camp will start from November 13 in Islamabad.
Pakistan will go into the event, which was shifted to New Zealand after India were stripped of the hosting rights, on the back of a win in the tri-nation tournament where the Greenshirts beat Australia in the final.
Bajwa praised the performance of the team, which had lost two round-robin matches to the world champions, before outclassing the hosts 4-3 in the final.
“It was a great effort by the team,” Bajwa told reporters at the National Hockey Stadium, Lahore. “To beat a team in the final, which was seemingly unbeatable and to do that at their home ground, is really amazing.
“This win will help the team in boosting their morale for the Champions Trophy.”
The PHF secretary added that he was in contact with the Indian Hockey officials, finalising plans for a Test series between the two countries. “I’ve talked to Narinder Batra from the Indian Hockey and they will respond in the coming two weeks. Hopefully, we’ll see the two teams play each other early next year,” said Bajwa while adding that the bilateral series will be played on a home-and-away basis.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 11th, 2011.
The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Secretary Asif Bajwa said the team was in good shape and looking forward to an impressive performance in the upcoming Champions Trophy in December, for which the training camp will start from November 13 in Islamabad.
Pakistan will go into the event, which was shifted to New Zealand after India were stripped of the hosting rights, on the back of a win in the tri-nation tournament where the Greenshirts beat Australia in the final.
Bajwa praised the performance of the team, which had lost two round-robin matches to the world champions, before outclassing the hosts 4-3 in the final.
“It was a great effort by the team,” Bajwa told reporters at the National Hockey Stadium, Lahore. “To beat a team in the final, which was seemingly unbeatable and to do that at their home ground, is really amazing.
“This win will help the team in boosting their morale for the Champions Trophy.”
The PHF secretary added that he was in contact with the Indian Hockey officials, finalising plans for a Test series between the two countries. “I’ve talked to Narinder Batra from the Indian Hockey and they will respond in the coming two weeks. Hopefully, we’ll see the two teams play each other early next year,” said Bajwa while adding that the bilateral series will be played on a home-and-away basis.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 11th, 2011.