Pakistan hockey team announced here on Wednesday for Champions Trophy with two new faces in Kashif Ahmed and Mohammad Atiq. The team management is hoping to improve Pakistan's ranking by putting up a good show in 8-nation event being played from December 2 in Melbourne. Prior to its participation the team will also play in nine-a-side hockey tournament commencing from November 22.
"It is the most suitable combination selected from the 27 camp probables and we have included two un-capped players keeping in view our preparations for 2014 World Cup," said chief coach and manager of the team, Akhtar Rasool Chaudhary while addressing a news conference to announce the 18-member squad. He said Kashif will strengthen the forward line and Atiq will reinforce the defence as a full back.
The team management has appointed full back Mohammad Imran as the captain of the team which also has the services of veteran defender, Wasim Ahmed who was also part of the team during this summer's Olympics in London. "We have selected the team purely on merit and we seek God's help for improving its performance during two hockey assignments in Australia", he added. The team official said the participation in champions trophy is very significant in order to improve ranking.
"We will be going all out to produce a better show to improve from our number seventh ranking to number four or five and if we do so it will be a big accomplishment, he asserted. Akhtar Rasool said the team management is under heavy load of responsibility as it is also performing the duties of the selection committee. "Our aim is to inspire the team to a level to struck its peak during the Champions Trophy and to improve its ranking, he said adding: the task is tough amid presence of world's best eight teams but achievable as Pakistan team is full of talent and potential."
Team coach, Hanif Khan said the team management could not bring whole sole changes in the team due to shortage of time after its participation in Olympics in August last. "The team management is striving for bringing overall improvement and we have brought in two new players and after the tour of Australia we will be working on our plans to make changes in the side focusing on our future needs," he said.
"Before taking up coaching of the team I was a selector and I think both the jobs have greater responsibility and I will be doing my best to do justice in the role of a coach," he said. He blamed lack of clubs activities for the overall downfall of hockey in Pakistan and said clubs have almost vanished from the hockey scene and those which exist are making lesser efforts to strengthen the base of the game at grass root level. The squad: Imran Shah, Imran Butt, Mohammad Imran (captain), Waqas Sharif (vice captain), Wasim Ahmed, Mohammad Rashid, Farid Ahmed,Mohammad Umer Bhutta, Shafqar Rasool, Shakeel Abbasi, Kashif Shah, Mohammad Atiq, Rizwan Jr, Touseeq Ahmed, Hisseem Khan, Rizwan Sr, Ali Shan and Kashif Ahmed.
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