LAHORE, June 20: Pakistan junior hockey coach Tahir Zaman and captain Shakeel Abbasi were hopeful of victory in the 8th Junior World Cup. “Every team is coming there to win. We will do our best to win,” said Tahir. Tahir said the team was in perfect shape, both physically and mentally.

Pakistan play the opener against Belgium on June 29. Pakistan will face Chile the next day before taking on Australia on July 2.

The 25-member Pakistan squad comprising 18 players and seven officials left for Belgium on Monday.

Pakistan failed to reach

final after losing to lowly-ranked Malaysia 1-0 in Kuala Lumpur. Twelve players of Pakistan junior team, including Shakeel, played in the tournament.

Shakeel said players had learnt from Azlan Shah Cup and had improved skills in the training camp which concluded on Sunday in Lahore.

He dispelled the impression his team lacked in penalty corner conversion, saying the team had been scoring more field goals and did not rely only on penalty corners.

Pakistan have so far only won the inaugural World Cup in France in 1979.

He said two practice matches in Belgium, one each against South Africa and Argentina, before the World Cup would help the team acclimatise.