World XI captain predicts thrilling match

LAHORE: World Hockey XI captain, Holland’s Roderick Weusthof says he anticipates interesting and thrilling match against Pakistan Junior team which will be going all out to give the visiting team tough time here on Sunday.

“The Pak junior team comprises talented players but they lack in experience and technique and with passage of time it will blend into a good combination of players to get fine results,” he told mediamen at a news conference along with few other foreign players and Secretary, Pakistan Hockey Federation at the national hockey stadium on Saturday.

Star studded World XI routed Pak juniors 5-1 in the opening match of the two match series at Karachi.

The World XI captain said they are delighted to play against Pakistan junior team which will be learning a lot while playing against them.

“The are young players and have the necessary potential to learn the finer points of the game while playing world’s best players and I think it is an ideal opportunity for them to lift the level of their game,” said the Dutch hockey player, one of the most fearsome penalty corner experts of his time with 79 goals to his credit.

Roderick said he was pleased to see that with the tour of World XI the international hockey returns to Pakistan where an high profile hockey event is taking after a very long gap. “We are here to join hands with the Pakistan Hockey Federation to help them to revive international hockey and all the players are delighted to be a part of good cause,” he said. The World XI captain praised the hospitality extended to them during their stay in Pakistan and said they did not see any security issue at Karachi and Lahore as well and they were being looked after in a nice way.

Meanwhile Pakistan junior captain Junaid Manzoor told APP his team will make a comeback to get desired results in tomorrow’s match but at the same time pointed out that they are no match with the World XI which has the services of world’s best players from different hockey nations.

“It is a deadly combination of skills and youth, it is experience against youth, but we will be playing our best game to put up a decent show against world’s top notch players,” he said.

“I have urged the fellow players to give tough time to the foreign team, setting aside the pressure of being petted against world best team,” he said adding “The tour of World XI is a big way of learning for us, I would say it is rare opportunity for our junior players to add to their confidence and technique while playing against super stars of the hockey world”. The home captain said with the successful tour of World XI the international hockey has returned to Pakistan and a new era of hockey has begun in the country. “This tour is of greater importance for Pakistan hockey and it will enhance the image of our country in the world and it will be ice breaking for us and it will motivate the other foreign teams and players to visit Pakistan in near future.