LAHORE, June 13: Bulgarian coach Stefan G. Dimitrov has said that he would succeed in fielding a strong Pakistan team at the forthcoming Asian Volleyball Central Zone championship, as a training camp under his supervision in Islamabad was producing good results.

The Asian event will be held in Islamabad from June 19 to 25 for which the training camp started on April 18.

Dimitrov added the boys, whom he considered talented, were taking interest in training at the camp, giving him hope that a strong team could be fielded in the Asian contest.

Besides Dimitrov Pakistani coaches Mohammad Akram Chaudhry and Farooq Azam are imparting training to the 18 players at the camp.

Dimitrov stated that he had chalked out a comprehensive training programme with special focus on physical fitness and stamina, underlining that by improving technique, fitness and stamina Pakistan would turn into a tough side for any team in the contest.

Besides hosts Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Turkmenistan, Iran and defending champions Kazakhstan are participating in the international event.

Dimitrov also said that training for the Asian contest would also serve subsequently for the Commonwealth championship.

Pakistan had claimed the runners-up spot in the men’s first Asian Volleyball Central Zone Championship in Colombo, Sri Lanka while Kazakhstan were the winners.

Players at the camp:

Mohammad Zaman (captain/Police), Irfan Nawaz (Wapda), Mohammad Yasin (Army), Mohammad Zahid (Army), M. Tariq Wasim (Police), Ashfaq Hussain (Army), Kashif Mansoor (Police), Naeem Jan (Army), Mohib Rasool (Police), Sayyad (PAF), Naseer Ahmed (Police), Zaheer Abbas (Army), Ali Abbas (Wapda), Mohammad Farooq (Wapda), Mohammad Azhar (Steel), Mohammad Riaz (PAF), Bakht Rasal (Army) and Mohammad Ismail (PAF).