Pakistan Hockey Captain Muhammad Waseem on Tuesday said winning the gold of the Champions Trophy hockey tournament will give fresh impetus to hockey in Pakistan where cricket has overshadowed almost all the sports. "Once hockey was our prime game and with the passage of time it has been taken over by cricket and I believe victory in Champions Trophy would usher a new era of hockey in Pakistan", he said here on Tuesday ahead of the elite six nation tournament which beings from December 4.
Tiny Waseem was of the view that a victory is badly needed to infuse a fresh life in hockey at home because the team struggled to re-capture a major title during the past one decade but failed.
Now the Champions Trophy is an ideal chance for us to change the fortunes of our hockey which is a less attraction for youth as compared to cricket", he said, adding, If we manage to lift the trophy, hockey will once again become a source of attraction for the present generation ".
The home captain was quite optimistic that, his side is fully capable to end a victory drought when it plays in its own backyard in the toughest event of the hockey world.
"I firmly believe that Champions Trophy is the most challenging tournament of the hockey world but our team is fully prepared to give encouraging performance in a tough assignment amid six best teams of the world", he said.
To a question that in the absence of newly crowned Olympics Champions, which pulled out of the event due to security reasons, it would be an easy going for Pakistan, he said, "Don't forget that there are other good teams including defending champions, Holland, f3ermany, Spain, India. I believe even New Zealand can spring a surprise".
Waseem said in present day hockey no team can be taken lightly and considering any rival weaker will be a silly mistake.
Remember, what happened with us in Olympics. One defeat to Spain knocked us out of the semi-final contention and now we have to be at our best in every match to remain in the gold medal run", he added.
Waseem said total reliance on home ground and crowd for lifting the performance of the team is a wrong perception as much depend on players who must perform well to outwit their rivals.
The national captain said the players are in good spirit and eagerly looking forward to launch their campaign in the tournament.