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| October 27, 2001 | Saturday | Shaba'an 9, 1422 |
Sarwar warns against complacency
LAHORE, Oct 26: Pakistan hockey captain, Mohammad Sarwar, said Friday the team could not afford complacency if it wanted to regain the title at next month’s Champions Trophy.
The striker, who will be leading the national side for the first time in his career, said Germany were tough rivals since they had beaten Pakistan twice during the European tour in June-July.
Sarwar, who has played 175 internationals, considered world and Olympic champions The Netherlands as another stiff challenge of the contest to be hosted by Rotterdam from Nov 3.
Australia, South Korea and England are other participating teams of the tournament.
He said weak defence and half-line had been strengthened during the camp training and the team was now all geared up to vie for the top spot in the six-nation tournament.
The captain said half-line had become stronger after the inclusion of Imran Rasool but didn’t feel that defence would falter due to goalkeeper Ahmad Alam’s retirement.
Mohammad Qasim, who had been Ahmad’s deputy for quite a long time, had adequate international exposure and would not disappoint the fans.
Ahmad, a former skipper, quit the sport in Aug citing lack of form but the experts have been stressing the Pakistan Hockey Federation to invite him since they consider him the best goalkeeper in the country.
About an unimpressive show by penalty corner specialist, Sohail Abbas, during the training camp, Sarwar said the full-back was still the strongest weapon of the team.
The captain defended the inclusion of aging forward Shahbaz Ahmad, saying the left flank would be bolstered by the presence of the winger who has staged his second comeback after three years at the age of 35.
Sarwar agreed that three-nation tournaments involving teams from Asia and Europe be organized annually to attract the crowd and the sponsors as well.
The right-winger had also started his international career in 1995 when he represented the country in a tri-nation tournament hosted by Pakistan, featuring Germany and South Korea.
Sarwar appealed to the departments to regularize the players’employment so that they could perform better.
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