Pak hockey team resumes training today

KARACHI: Pakistan senior hockey team will resume its training camp on Tuesday after three days rest.  The training will now continue till the Green-shirts depart for Dhaka on October 8 where they will participate in the Asia Cup.

Rizwan Senior and left-half Rashid who are participating in league hockey in Netherlands will join the team on October 4, sources in the PHF said. Pakistan will play only one practice match before the Asia Cup, on October 9.

Chief coach Olympian Farhat Khan told ‘The News’ that all teams had equal opportunity and that India had some edge due to its experience and good ranking in the world hockey. “Our toughest match in the pool will be against India, but we are taking each match seriously,” he added.

The chief coach said that the lack of international matches’ experience would be covered through participation of some of the boys playing leagues in other countries. “We are training the boys in all possible manners: individual training, group training and team training,” he said.

“We are doing our best efforts and training the boys according to the needs of modern hockey. The team is a blend of senior and junior players. Some of them are experienced and some are passing through their learning process,” he added.