KARACHI, Aug 1: Double Olympian Shahid Ali Khan said on Friday that performance of penalty corner striker Sohail Abbas and goalkeeper Ahmed Alam will be key to success for the team in 25th Champions Trophy hockey being held in Amstelveen (Netherlands) from Aug 16.

“Return of three main players like Sohail Abbas, Wasim Ahmed and skipper Muhammad Nadeem and fitness of Ali Raza have made the team a strong combination” Pakistan assistant coach Shahid said.

He said absence of three top players during the Australian tour was the main cause of team’s poor showing. “Absence of Sohail was the main difference” he said.

“If Sohail showed good conversion rate in PCs and Alam defended well under the bars, it can strengthen the team’s claims for the title”, he added.

He said if everything worked well and luck favoured the team a bit, Pakistan has the potential to regain the coveted title.

England defeated Holland 4-3 the other day and Pakistan is being regarded as far better outfit than England.

Describing it a toughest event in hockey world, Shahid observed that success in Champions Trophy will give impetus and boost to the game in the country.

He said the host and holder, the Netherlands, would be their toughest opponents and pointed out that Indians were also showing consistent play and it will be a great match against them after return of Pakistani players.

“We got 30 odd penalty corners in two events in Australia and converted only four to five”, he said and added “had Sohail been there, story would have been different”.

Shahid said full back Raza could play just one match in Australia because of injury which further weakened the defence.

Shahid, a member of gold medal winning team in Los Angeles Olympics 1984 and bronze medallist at Barcelona Olympics, said it had been because of lack of power power upfront that put the defence under pressure and particularly goalie, Alam, who thus conceded more goals.

Veteran of more than 200 internationals, Shahid said, the forward line has now been strengthened with the return of Muhammad Nadeem ND.

He admitted that this will be an important and crucial event for the team having impact on future of Pakistan hockey.

A creditable show in Champions Trophy will be morale lifting for next assignment of our team in Asia Cup in Malaysia in September, he concluded.—APP