JAKARTA: Pakistan hockey team manager and former Olympian Hasan Sardar has expressed confidence about the national team’s performance in the 18th Asian Games which commence here from the August 18.

Speaking to the mediamen here on Sunday, Hasan said that the morale of the team is high and the players have prepared hard for the mega event.

“All of the team support staff including Dutch coach Roelant Oltmans, assistant coaches Mohammad Saqlain and Rehan Butt and physical trainer Daniel Barry have worked tremendously hard with the team and we are confident that the players will shine in the matches at the Asiad,” said Hasan, the legendary centre-forward of yesteryear.

Pakistan football team take on Vietnam today

He added that with the change in the rules of hockey and the game’s structure, even smaller team can upset major ones and no one can predict who will be the winner. “I feel that India, South Korea, Malaysia and Japan can be tough adversaries for us, but Inshallah our players will display fine hockey against them,” he said.

Pakistan hockey team held a practice session here under lights for three hours on Sunday at the Senayan hockey stadium here under the watchful eye of coach Oltmans.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan football team begins its Asian Games campaign here on Tuesday with the match against Vietnam at 4:00pm Indonesian time.

Pakistani footballers held a rigorous practice session here at the Military Ground on Monday with Brazilian coach Jose Antonion Noguiera overseeing it.

The Asian Games football event comprises under-23 players with only three senior players allowed to be part of the teams. Pakistan is placed in Group D which also include Japan and Nepal besides Vietnam.

Meanwhile, Pakistan high Commission here will be organizing a big Independence day function here on Tuesday evening. Pakistan’s ambassador Abdul Salik Khan has extended an invitation to all of Pakistan’s Asian Games players and officials.

Published in Dawn, August 14th, 2018