Pakistan target Asiad hockey final

After finishing at the 11th spot in the recently concluded FIH World Cup in the Netherlands and Belgium, Pakistan men’s hockey team will be desperately looking to finish on the victory podium in the men’s hockey event of the 20th Asian Games in Japan. The Asiad is going to formally open on September 19 in Aichi-Nagoya, and organisers have already set up a cruise ship to house 4,000 athletes and officials due to accommodation issues. Ranked 12th in the world, it would be a testing event for the Green-shirts to do something extraordinary and finish at the top. However, Pakistan chief selector and former Olympian Samiullah has said that Pakistan should reach the final of the quadrennial event. “We should play the final,” Samiullah told The Express Tribune on Wednesday. “If we get even a silver in this event, it will be a good achievement for our brigade,” Samiullah was quick to add. The chief selector recalled that Pakistan played a few good games in the Hockey World Cup. “I think the team has played good matches in the World Cup, barring the one against Wales (3-3), which we should have won. It was unnecessarily drawn,” Samiullah said. Pakistan have a rich history in the Asian Games, having won eight gold, three silver and the same number of bronze medals since the 1962 Jakarta edition. Pakistan last won a silver medal in the 2014 Incheon Asian Games. “We will need to improve a lot, especially within the area. If you don’t manage clearance, you will give the opposition the chance to get penalty corners,” Samiullah said. “There is also a big stamina issue with our boys, and we will also need to improve our goal-scoring ability. Our penalty corner conversion rate is also not that satisfactory. These are some of the grey areas which we should cover,” Samiullah said. The chief selector said India is too tough a side and beating them would not be an easy task. “Even beating Japan is also not that easy,” Samiullah was quick to add. In the quadrennial event, Pakistan have been placed in Group B with Malaysia, China, Oman, Uzbekistan and Thailand. India, Japan, Korea, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Indonesia are in Group A. The top two sides from each group will progress to the semi-finals, which will be held on October 1, with the final to be conducted on October 3. Samiullah said foreign coaches have done well by making the players mentally strong. Pakistan, in recent matches, especially in the World Cup, have shown glimpses of sudden outbursts and scored goals in no time. But Samiullah said it would be useful to take the lead, hold it and further build on it. “This will happen only when you play controlled hockey in all zones,” the chief selector said. Pakistan have retained the same squad that featured in the World Cup. Samiullah said the Korea trip has given Pakistan good practice ahead of the Asian Games. “It will help the team definitely in Japan. It was important,” said Samiullah. Pakistan will launch their campaign with their match against Thailand on September 20. It will be followed by matches against Uzbekistan (September 22), China (September 24), Malaysia (September 26) and Oman (September 28). Pakistan squad: Muhammad Abdullah, Muhammad Sufyan Khan, Moin Shakeel, Abdul Waheed Ashraf Rana, Abdul Hannan Shahid, Zikriya Hayat, Arshad Liaqat, Adeel Latif, Ahmad Nadeem, Ghazanfar Ali, Ammad Shakeel Butt, Muhammad Hammaduddin Anjum, Abdul Rehman, Afraz, Umar Mustafa, Abu Bakar Mahmood (captain), Abdul Manan and Muhammad Ammad.