LAHORE, Jan 12: Pakistan hockey captain Mohammad Sarwar Saturday said the team should reach the final of the six-nation tournament to boost the morale ahead of next month’s World Cup.

Talking to reporters at the National Hockey Stadium, the skipper said Australia and the Netherlands were the only tough oppositions. He said he expected the team would reach the final.

The contest, a build-up to World Cup in Kuala Lumpur, starts Jan 18 at the same venue. It will be participated by Japan, New Zealand, Malaysia, Australia, the Netherlands.

Sarwar, who took over as captain before the November’s Rotterdam Champions Trophy replacing retired goalkeeper Ahmad Alam, said the shortcomings of the team revealed during the Trophy had been removed.

The skipper was hopeful that his boys would display much better at the forthcoming event in the Malaysian capital and the World Cup.

He said the suggestions from the newly-appointed technical adviser, Tayyab Ikram, had benefited the team and added the defence and countering attacking had improved.

Sarwar said non-availability of the wingers, Atif Bashir and Mohammad Nadeem was a blow to the team but Sameer Hussain and Mudassir Ali were capable of filling the void.

Both, Atif and Nadeem were rested due to injuries.

Sarwar urged the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) to organize three and four-nation tournaments as according to him it was the only way to popularise the national sport which has lost its popularity among the masses.

He said the national hockey players could not get recognition and were not well known because they had little exposure and lesser opportunities to play in front of home fans.

The 1998 Champions Trophy in Lahore was the last international hockey contest that Pakistan organized.

Khawaja Junaid, one of the two national coaches, said that doctor had recommended Nadeem a four-week rest due to hairline fracture in his finger. The left-winger would be available for the team by Jan 21.

He would miss the six-nation event but would be considered for the World Cup, he said.