Hockey World League: Pakistan take on the mighty Australians in Antwerp

Captain Imran urges team to work on improving defence

KARACHI: The Greenshirts are eager to build on their unconvincing 2-1 win over Poland behind them as they take on the world champions Australia in their second group match of the Hockey World League Semi-finals at Antwerp, Belgium on Wednesday.

Pakistan needed a last-minute goal to emerge victorious in their first match on Saturday as their defence struggled and the Poles exploited the gaps to launch several attacks.

Now the national side is all set to produce an improved show to ensure a berth in the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Australia are the top-ranked team in the world — nine spots ahead of Pakistan — but skipper Muhammad Imran believes that ranking hardly matters in modern hockey and Pakistan have the potential to pull off a surprise win. “Australia won’t be taking us lightly as anything can happen in hockey in this age,” Imran told The Express Tribune.

The 36-year-old emphasised on the need to tighten the defence. “Australia have some speedy strikers who can score goals on the counter, as they displayed against France in their 10-0 win. The same French side had lost 3-2 to India, which shows what the Kookaburras are capable of. We will have to make amends in our defence and also play attacking hockey.”

We’ve learnt from mistakes: coach

Pakistan’s head coach Shahnaz Sheikh is hopeful that the Pakistanis will put on a very different show than the one they did against Poland, who repeatedly managed to cause problems through penetrative bursts. “We have worked on the mistakes done in the opening match and have analysed the match between Australia and France,” said Sheikh.

He added that the match with Australia and arch-rivals India are the two important and tough encounters which will decide the Greenshirts’ future in this tournament.

Meanwhile, Pakistan goalkeeper Imran Butt is eagerly awaiting encounters with the top teams in their pool. “The clash against India is the most awaited,” said Butt, adding that the encounter with the Kookaburras will also be an exciting one.

“The team has worked on various combinations ever since we arrived here, keeping in mind the importance of the tournament which offers three spots in the Olympic line-up,” said Butt. “The new strategy of playing with 10 attackers and 10 defenders gives me extra confidence as now I feel my fort has been strengthened.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 24^th,  2015.

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