LAHORE, April 6: Pakistan’s non-playing captain Rashid Malik termed his team’s winning 3-0 lead in the Davis Cup tie against Taiwan as a marvellous achievement and praised his players for delivering the goods.

“I had given Pakistan a 60-40 chance, but the results are more than encouraging for me,” he told reporters.

Commenting on the performance of Aqeel Khan in the doubles match, Rashid admitted that the player was not in his true form. “But at end of the day, he returned winner so deserves praise.”

Rashid said in Sunday’s reverse singles, Aqeel would not be playing.

“We will test either Asim Shafik or Nomi Qamar in one of the two reverse singles. However, Pakistan key player Aisam-ul- Haq will be in action,” Rashid said.

He urged the Pakistan Tennis Federation to finalise a training programme for the next tie to be held either against China or Kazakhastan in September.

Taiwanese non-playing captain Neng-Tung Shih said: “Pakistani players played a better game. But my boys also gave the rivals good fight.

“The weather and court condition, however, made the difference between both the sides.”

Pakistan Tennis Federation secretary Ali Akbar said the Davis Cup squad will be rewarded with incentives according to a programme which had already been finalised.

He said the playing member will get Rs5,000 per match plus another Rs5,000 as win bonus. However, the player who did not play in any match would be paid less amount.

Akbar said the federation would chalk out a comprehensive training programme to prepare the team for the match either against China or Kazakhastan.