Fullback Zeeshan Ashraf was Tuesday declared fit to lead Pakistan's hockey team at the Commonwealth Games, with chief selector Hanif Khan confident the demons of New Delhi will not haunt the squad. The Pakistan team recorded its worst finish in the World Cup in March this year, after playing at the same venue where they will compete in the Games' 10-team field hockey competition.
"The nightmare of Delhi will not haunt Pakistan and I am confident that this team will reach the victory stands in the Commonwealth Games," Khan told AFP. Ashraf, who also led Pakistan in the World Cup and had to come out of retirement, was declared fit after suffering a hamstring injury during the team's preparatory tour of the Netherlands earlier this month.
Since the World Cup flop, Pakistan has hired Dutch coach Michel van den Heuvel, who has been looking after the preparations for the past four months. Pakistan's first task - reaching the semi-finals - looks tough as they are pitted alongside title holders and world champions Australia with hosts India, Malaysia and Scotland the other teams involved.
"It will be a very tough tournament, but I am confident that the boys will do well," said Khan, a member of the team which won a gold medal for Pakistan at the 1984 Olympic Games. Pakistan finished runners-up to Australia at the last Commonwealth Games, held in Melbourne in 2006.
Squad: Zeeshan Ashraf (captain), Mohammad Imran, Mohammad Irfan, Waseem Ahmed, Mohammad Rasheed, Fareed Ahmed, Shafqat Rasool, Rehan Butt, Shakeel Abbasi, Haseem Khan, Waqas Sharif, Mohammad Rizwan, Omer Bhutta, Imran Shah, Mohammad Tauseeq, Kashif Javed.