THE HAGUE: The Netherlands’ legendary penalty corner striker Floris Bovelander has expressed his dismay at the absence of four-time former champions Pakistan from the on-going hockey World Cup here.

“It is a pity that a nation like Pakistan which has contributed hugely to the game and has a rich history in field hockey are not here to feature in the World Cup,” he told reporters at the Kyocera Stadium here on Sunday.

“It is really disappointing to see that Pakistan hockey has gone down so low that they failed to qualify for the World Cup,” he lamented.

Bovelander, ranked among the greatest hockey players of all time, said Pakistan hockey needs support because they achieved excellence in the World Cup, Olympics and Champions Trophy during the past decades and dominated the sport for so many years.

“I think I got my best moments in Pakistan and winning the 1990 World Cup in Lahore was the most memorable for me. I will always cherish those moments,” Bovelander commented.

“It was really great to beat Pakistan in Pakistan before a massive crowd. That was 24 years ago but I still remember it vividly and strong cheers of the crowd are still echoing in my ears.

“I always enjoyed playing against Pakistan in their country because they loved me and I was a hero there,” he said.

“We got a great deal of respect and adulation from people in Pakistan after our 3-1 triumph in the 1990 World Cup final,” he recalled.

Bovelander, who scored 216 goals in 241 internationals for the Dutch team from 1985 to 1996, said he rated Shahbaz Ahmed as the greatest player among his rival.

“Shahbaz was a genius, a very tough opponent. Many other Pakistan players were also naturally gifted, possessing superb dribbling and dodging skills,” he pointed out. “But hockey is now a different game, it is less skill and more power, so you need to be physically super- fit.”

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2014