KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 4: Aspirants Pakistan will clash with arch-rivals India in the opening match of four-nation Invitation International Under-19 Hockey Tournament which goes into action under floodlights at National Hockey Stadium on Sunday.
The Indians alongwith the Malaysians are rated among the favorites to clinch the title in the eight-day gala which being is played at the same venue where World Cup was staged last February.
South Korea and Malaysia are the other participating teams, with Malaysia entering an under-19 and an under-16 side. Indian team includes a member of the 2001 World Junior Cup winning team Prabodh Tirkey and five-members of the team which won the under-18 Asia Cup in Ipoh in 2001.
So India clearly have a strong combination. The future of Pakistan hockey will be on parade and good performance in this tournament by the boys will be an encouraging and morale-boosting factor for country’s national sport.
As compared to other teams, Pakistani teenagers lacked international exposure.
Last October, Pakistan under-19 featured in five-nations contest in Cairo (Egypt) where they lost all four games. But except for Pakistan, other teams were seniors. Twelve of the boys who appeared in Egypt event are in the current team.
Pakistan under-19 teams took part in the NBP Tri-series against Pakistan Green and Pakistan Whites before coming to Malaysia and that provided them a good build-up for this international contest. Chief Indian coach, Harendra Singh, said “Despite past record, every team has to start afresh for a new event”.
Every coach has got to be confident that his team will win. But boys have to produce in middle to triumph he maintained. “It is difficult to comment on Pakistan team because I have never seen them play”, Singh said.
However its going to be an interesting and exciting game with Asian style of hockey, he hoped.
Meanwhile Pakistan Junior team coach Olympian Ayaz Mahmood said on Saturday that if boys played to their true potential they have the ability to win the tournament.
“This is the first under-19 event in which Pakistanis are featuring since 1984”, Ayaz said.
He said previously Pakistani teenagers played all matches against senior teams. “The boys are geared up for the event after recent tri-series back home” he claimed. —APP