Greenshirts geared up for Australia tour
Pakistan will open its Four-Nation Hockey Tournament campaign on May 2
Pakistan, ranked ninth in the world, will take on two teams from number one side Australia and one each from seventh-ranked New Zealand and eighth-ranked South Korea. PHOTO: APP
KARACHI:
The Pakistan hockey team, along with seven officials, is ready to depart for Australia on Tuesday from Lahore via Karachi to participate in the Four-Nation Hockey Tournament scheduled to take place from May 2 to May 10 in Hobart.
Pakistan, ranked ninth in the world, will take on two teams from number one side Australia and one each from seventh-ranked New Zealand and eighth-ranked South Korea.
Skipper Muhammad Imran, a part of the 18-member squad, is aiming to top the tournament with the help of youngsters Faisal Qadir and Muhammad Rizwan Jr, brought in to replace seniors Muhammad Rizwan Sr and Rashid Mehmood, who are currently playing in the Professional German League and were unable to attending the training camp and trials.
And Imran is optimistic about winning the tournament despite going to the tour with the two youngsters. “Both Faisal and Rizwan Jr trained extensively during the month-long training camp and are 100% fit,” Imran told The Express Tribune. “If they keep their form in the game, then we can definitely finish in the top two at the very least.”
The captain added that despite the lack of international assignments, the coach has asked them to give their all in this preparatory tour for the 2016 Rio Olympic qualification round in June.
Meanwhile, head coach Shahnaz Sheikh said that in modern-day hockey, every team has a video analyst who tells them playing techniques used by other squads. “That is why Pakistan is going with a new technique which has been successfully tested during exhibition matches,” he added.
Pakistan will face Australia in the second match of the opening day on May 2 and take on Australia A the following day. The Greenshirts will then battle it out with Korea on May 5 and May 9 and New Zealand on May 7.
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The Pakistan hockey team, along with seven officials, is ready to depart for Australia on Tuesday from Lahore via Karachi to participate in the Four-Nation Hockey Tournament scheduled to take place from May 2 to May 10 in Hobart.
Pakistan, ranked ninth in the world, will take on two teams from number one side Australia and one each from seventh-ranked New Zealand and eighth-ranked South Korea.
Skipper Muhammad Imran, a part of the 18-member squad, is aiming to top the tournament with the help of youngsters Faisal Qadir and Muhammad Rizwan Jr, brought in to replace seniors Muhammad Rizwan Sr and Rashid Mehmood, who are currently playing in the Professional German League and were unable to attending the training camp and trials.
And Imran is optimistic about winning the tournament despite going to the tour with the two youngsters. “Both Faisal and Rizwan Jr trained extensively during the month-long training camp and are 100% fit,” Imran told The Express Tribune. “If they keep their form in the game, then we can definitely finish in the top two at the very least.”
The captain added that despite the lack of international assignments, the coach has asked them to give their all in this preparatory tour for the 2016 Rio Olympic qualification round in June.
Meanwhile, head coach Shahnaz Sheikh said that in modern-day hockey, every team has a video analyst who tells them playing techniques used by other squads. “That is why Pakistan is going with a new technique which has been successfully tested during exhibition matches,” he added.
Pakistan will face Australia in the second match of the opening day on May 2 and take on Australia A the following day. The Greenshirts will then battle it out with Korea on May 5 and May 9 and New Zealand on May 7.
Like Sports on Facebook, follow @ETribuneSports on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.