Pakistan hockey team beaming with their unassailable 3-0 supremacy in a four match hockey test series will be aiming for a clean sweep when they take on China in the last and fourth match here today (Sunday) at national hockey stadium. The match will start at 2.pm with organisers, Pakistan Hockey Federation hoping for a big holiday gathering to watch a rare opportunity of international hockey activity as the entry into the stadium is free.
"We stand a fair chance to beat the visiting team in their last outing and we are fully determined to make a clean sweep", said Pakistan hockey team captain Mohammad Imran on the eve of the match here on Saturday. During the past five years, international hockey has turned its back to Pakistan owing to security threats. India was the last foreign team which visited Pakistan way back in 2006 as a part of a home and away series. China lived up to its promise of having a ever lasting friendship with Pakistan by accepting the invitation of PHF for sending its team in the first leg of bilateral series in which four matches were planned.
Pakistan beat the Chinese side 3-0 in the first match at Karachi and won the following game at the same venue 5-3 taking 3-0 lead by defeating the visiting side 3-1 at Faisalabad in the third match. Imran said the series is a good chance for young players to play in their own backyard and to get international exposure.
"For us it is matter of delight that international hockey has returned to Pakistan and playing in front of your own countrymen gives a different feeling compared to playing abroad", he said adding " With the visit of Chinese team we are confident that other foreign teams will also visit Pakistan in near future ".
He refused to undermine the strength of Chinese team terming it a tough rival to bear. " We should not forget the sour memories of Doha Asian Games in 2006 when China beat us in a bronze medal match and since then they are regularly appearing in every Asian hockey events showing gradual sign of progress ". Chinese coach Li Gaochao is not concerned with the outcome of the matches rather he is taking Pakistan's tour as a part of their preparations for qualifying for next year's London Olympics.
"This tour is a big way of learning for our side as Pakistan had a glorious hockey past and definitely this tour will help in lifting the performance of my team in their efforts to qualify for Olympics ",he said. He said Pakistan team is rich in skills and technique and their hockey standards are improving with passage of time.
"Ahead of this series we did not make claims of beating Pakistan because we knew their strength and might and our main objective is to expose our players to highest level of hockey and we are achieving our set targets of this tour by imparting experience to our players ",he said. He said his side would put up a good performance in the last match giving the home team a tough time.