Ashraf passes fitness test for CWG
Pakistan’s hockey captain Zeeshan Ashraf passed his fitness test and has been retained for Commonwealth Games.
LAHORE:
Pakistan’s hockey captain Zeeshan Ashraf passed his fitness test and has been retained in the squad for the Commonwealth Games that start in New Delhi from October 3.
Ashraf, who missed half of Pakistan’s tour of Europe due to a hamstring injury, underwent the fitness test yesterday under the supervision of coach Michel van den Heuvel and the rest of the team management. Kashif Javed, the other player on the casualty lift was also confirmed for the tour after recovering from an ankle injury sustained on the same tour.
“The duo participated in all three training sessions that took place yesterday,” said the team’s interim manager Khwaja Junaid. “We have analysed their fitness levels during the sessions and both of them looked good.”
The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), however, had reserved two standby players to replace the duo if they failed the test. The team had a lengthy training session in Lahore yesterday under the supervision of the Dutch coach who had arrived in the city on Sunday.
“We have experience and young blood in our side and that makes a good combination,” said Junaid. “Although we have some bad memories in India [after finishing last in the World Cup earlier this year], we also we won the Asian Games and the Asia Cup in the same country.
“The results always depend on the performance on the day and this time we’re relying and focusing on individual performance of the players. Pakistan hasn’t won a medal for a long time but we’re spirited and hopeful of a good result.”
The team will be departing for India tomorrow as part of the 75-member Pakistan contingent for the Commonwealth Games.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 28th, 2010.
Pakistan’s hockey captain Zeeshan Ashraf passed his fitness test and has been retained in the squad for the Commonwealth Games that start in New Delhi from October 3.
Ashraf, who missed half of Pakistan’s tour of Europe due to a hamstring injury, underwent the fitness test yesterday under the supervision of coach Michel van den Heuvel and the rest of the team management. Kashif Javed, the other player on the casualty lift was also confirmed for the tour after recovering from an ankle injury sustained on the same tour.
“The duo participated in all three training sessions that took place yesterday,” said the team’s interim manager Khwaja Junaid. “We have analysed their fitness levels during the sessions and both of them looked good.”
The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), however, had reserved two standby players to replace the duo if they failed the test. The team had a lengthy training session in Lahore yesterday under the supervision of the Dutch coach who had arrived in the city on Sunday.
“We have experience and young blood in our side and that makes a good combination,” said Junaid. “Although we have some bad memories in India [after finishing last in the World Cup earlier this year], we also we won the Asian Games and the Asia Cup in the same country.
“The results always depend on the performance on the day and this time we’re relying and focusing on individual performance of the players. Pakistan hasn’t won a medal for a long time but we’re spirited and hopeful of a good result.”
The team will be departing for India tomorrow as part of the 75-member Pakistan contingent for the Commonwealth Games.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 28th, 2010.