September 14, 2008	Sunday	Ramazan 13, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Sept 13: Pakistan’s newly-appointed hockey captain Shakeel Abbasi is hopeful of a good show by the young squad in the four-nation Hamburg Masters hockey tournament scheduled to be played in Germany next month.

Malaysia, Belgium and host Germany are the other three teams participating in the three-day event.

Talking to Dawn on Saturday, Shakeel said, “I am hopeful that Pakistan would put up a strong show and the young squad would deliver their best in the tourney.”

Shakeel will lead the 18-member squad comprising mostly young players.

“Pakistan Hockey Federation has included a young batch as our main aim is to prepare the team for the junior World Cup,” Olympian Shakeel said.

Junior World Cup is scheduled to be held in Malaysia and Singapore next year.

Pakistan had won the junior World Cup once in 1979 against West Germany in France.

The centre-forward pointed out, “We are blend of young and experienced players.”

Regarding goalkeeper Nasir Ahmed, he said, “Nasir is a good goalkeeper as he took part in the recently concluded Beijing Olympics and I have confidence in him.”

Pakistan performed pathetically in the Olympic Games finishing eighth in the 12-nation hockey competition.

“Imran Shah will also be present with the squad as goalkeeper and this will be a learning tour for many of the young players like him,” the new skipper said.

When asked about the fitness level of the team, Shakeel said, “Fitness is not an issue since the squad consists mostly of youngsters.”

“It will be a combined team effort and hopefully we would perform well,” Shakeel concluded.