KARACHI, Nov 21: Despite the bleak scenario confronting Pakistan hockey, chief coach Khawaja Zakauddin believes his team is capable of finish-

ing among the top four in the elite 8-nation Champions Trophy which opens in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) from November 29.

“We know well that Champions Trophy is the toughest event on the hockey calender. But our new-look forward line could play a crucial role in taking Pakistan ahead in the tournament,” Zakauddin told newsmen here at the Hockey Club of Pakistan on Wednesday.

“We need a kick start against Germany as the morale-booster and that could prove vital in our campaign,” he said. “The boys have responded positively and I am motivating them for the task ahead,” said Zakauddin, under whose coaching the national team won the Azlan Shah Cup in 1996.

“The team has been perfecting different tactics and formations and they surely have some surprises in store for the competition,” he maintained.

“This young lot of players under goalie Salman could give new impetus to the team,” the seasoned official from Lahore said.

“Everybody is fully aware of our current position in the world but we will definitely try out best to improve upon it,” he said confidently.

Commenting on the performance of the younger players in camp, Zakauddin said he was quite impressed with new forwards Muhammad Afzal and Inayatullah and hoped that they will combine well with players like Shakeel Abbasi, Akhtar Ali, Waqas Sharif, Waqar Akber, Abbas Haider to put Pakistan on track.

“I have seen a lot of flair among the young forwards and they are capable of doing well in Kuala Lumpur,” he said. “We will focus on attacking hockey but not at the expense of defence.”

Zakauddin, expressing confidence in the team, said fine players like Ghazanfar, Imran Khan, Dilawar, Adnan Maqsood and Sajjad Anwar can be a handful for any side on their day.

Alongwith coach Manzoor-ul-Hasan, Zakauddin has been working hard to polish the team’s skills and overcome its weaknesses. “I would like our forwards to fall back on counter-attack to boost the defence,” he asserted.

Sounding disappointed by the ordinary show of full-backs in the side during the recent tournaments, Zakauddin said: “Pakistan full-backs are not as strong as I would like them to be in the absence of Imran Warsi and Ihsanullah who have been declared unfit. But I am trying to get best results from Imran Khan, Kashif, Zeeshan Ashraf and Kamran, he added.

Zakauddin said besides playing a warm match against Canada on November 27, former Pakistan Olympic goal-keeper Shahid Ali Khan, who is currently attached with the Malaysian Junior team was arranging another practice match against his team either on November 26 or 28.

Australia, Germany, Great Britain, Korea, Netherlands, Pakistan Spain and host Malaysia are taking part in the championship which conclude on December 9.—APP