LAHORE, Sept 16: Pakistan non-playing captain Rashid Malik said his team had equal chances of winning the Davis Cup Asia Oceania Group-I play-off tennis tie against China.

Rashid, a former Davis Cupper, told journalists, before the seven-member squad left for China from Lahore on Saturday.

Pakistan will play the tie at the synthetic's hard courts at Beijing, China from Sept 22 to 24 with a target to win and avoid relegation to Group-II.

Pakistan had announced a four-member team for the tie, comprising top seed Aisamul Haq Qureshi, Aqeel Khan, Asim Shafik and Nomi Qamar. Meesaq Rizvi as doctor and Guftar Ahmed as manager were accompanying the team, besides Rashid.

Rashid, who received a SOS call in USA from the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) to join the training camp at Islamabad, said both Aisam and Aqeel were in great form and he believed Pakistan would give better results against China to avoid relegation.

“Though Aisam did not join the training camp as he is tired and preferred rest in Lahore, he has played a quality tennis in the recent past at abroad and eager to perform against China. Aqeel also played good tennis in India and I am hopeful both will deliver,” Rashid, who with Hameed-ul-Haq helped Pakistan to enter Group-I finals way back in the 1980s, said.

He said a proper rest had helped Aisam to come in better physical shape after hectic activities abroad.

Rashid admitted China was a formidable rival at home, but he had great expectations from two main weapons, Aisam and Aqeel.

“Both Aisam and Aqeel, together had achieved great victories for Pakistan and brought Pakistan in Group-I last year and they will be more anxious to avoid the relegation,” he said.

Rashid, however, said relegation and upgradation were the parts of the Davis Cup history as many countries had been passed through this process.

He said though no synthetic's turf was available in Pakistan, Aisam had a good experience of playing on such surfaces while Aqeel also played on similar courts in India.

Rashid said he had refused the PTF about this assignment, two months back in order to visit USA where he had different tennis jobs, but PTF president Dilawar Abbas contacted him there and asked him to take the duty.

He hoped a five-day stay in China before the start of the tie would be helpful in bringing the boys in perfect condition to meet the challenge.