LAHORE: The Pakistan team has left on Tuesday for India via Wagah Border to feature in the Champions Trophy scheduled to be held in Bhubaneswar from Dec 6 to 14.

“I firmly believe that my team is in a good frame of mind to put an improved performance after winning silver medal in Asian Games,” he said before leaving for Bhubaneswar, India, for the eight-nation event.

The hockey captain said they had left their financial problems behind to fully focus on achieving best position, adding that the event will be a good opportunity in terms of testing skills of some the youngsters who will be up against some of the best players.

Stating his team definitely lack international exposure which will be badly felt while competing against European teams, the skipper said: “Yet the coach and the players intend to finish among the top four.”

He said boys really worked hard during the training camp in Karachi and it was time for them to deliver their best for the revival of the national game.

Imran further said performances of youngsters inducted for the first time into the national squad would set future trends for Pakistan hockey

To a question he said though Shakeel Abbasi was not in the team, his team was well balanced to give tough time to any other country.

He said Australia were main rivals in group A but Pakistan would try their level best to attain top position in the group to set a quarter-final clash with a low-ranked team.

Belgium and England are two other teams of group A besides Pakistan and Australia with group B comprising Netherlands, Germany, Argentina and India.

Meanwhile, head coach Shahnaz Sheikh said that their top priority would be to play attacking hockey as in the modern-day game it was the best weapon to earn favourable results, adding that efforts were made during the training camp at Karachi to avoid squandering goal-scoring chances.

Shahnaz also admitted that unlike Asian Games, the Champions Trophy was the most tough contest.

According to draws, all the group matches will be warm-ups followed by quarter-finals.

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2014