March 26, 2006	Sunday	Safar 25, 1427

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MELBROUNE, March 25: Pakistan is all set to clash favourites and the defending champions and Olympics gold medallists Australia in the final of Commonwealth Games hockey final on Sunday, hoping to end the medal drought.

The green shirts were optimistic to lead their country to their first ever hockey gold of the games, but the task seems uphill in view of superior ranking and status of their rivals who had maintained a superb run in the event by winning all their matches with big margins.

Contrary Pakistan struggled to reach the semifinals, narrowly escaping an exit before beating India in the opening match, drawing with South Africa and then hardly managing a narrow win over Malaysia which followed their win against England.

But despite their uneven journey, former 1984 Olympic champions Pakistan are hoping to revive their hockey fortunes by beating fancied Australia with whom they last drew in India in the elite six-nation Champions Trophy before beating them in a final of an eight-nation tournament in Holland.

Pakistan chief coach, Asif Bajwa said the team was capable of ending the medal drought and accomplishing the task will mark a new era in Pakistan hockey.

“It is a bitter reality that since long we are without a major title and unfortunately we could not do so which posed a lot of question marks on the showing of team and its future in the game, always considering it a underdog,” said the team official who was appointed chief coach and under his supervision the team just won one tournament in Holland .

He said the team needs a win to revive the game back home where hockey interest is decreasing with each day as there are no major achievements on part of the hockey team.

“Now we are the threshold of a chance to bring back the interest of people to hockey and we are fully determined to use our skills and technique by thwarting a big change in tomorrow’s final,” he said.

Team captain, Mohammad Saqlain endorsed the views of his coach and said there was only one thought in the minds of the team members to go all out for a victory against Australia.

He played down the fears that his team will be under pressure by taking on a too strong opponent. “It is not our first match against Australia, we have played them a number of times and we have a good track record against them.”—APP