Green-shirts to depart on March 26 for CW Games

KARACHI: Pakistan hockey team is likely to depart on March 26 for participation in Commonwealth Games in Australia.

The Green-shirts will play three practice matches before the main event, manager Hasan Sardar informed ‘The News’ on Friday. He said that the new head coach Roelant Oltmans was working hard with the players and emphasised the fitness of the participants.

The fitness level was improving and it would reach the peak at the end of the training camp, he claimed. He said that hockey skills of the players were being tuned. “At this time we can say that the players’ physical condition and their game are much better than seen in the recent past,” Sardar said.

He said that CW Games would be tough. “We cannot make any tall claims but we can say the Green-shirts will give tough time to all opponents,” he added. “Oltmans knows the requirements of modern hockey and also knows the strength of rival teams, so we can say that Pakistan’s performance will be much better than in the recent international competitions,” the manager said.

Sardar said the defenders’ game was also under monitoring and their weaknesses were being addressed. He said that Imran Butt would be the main goalkeeper and that his form and fitness had improved.

He said that Pakistan team, before leaving the country, would play two practice matches against the national junior team. The juniors played well against World Hockey XI which recently visited Pakistan.

The practice matches will be played on March 20 and 22. “In Australia, we will play a match against Scotland and two against Southern Australia team. The matches will help us shape up the team for CW Games,” Sardar said.

He added that players were ready to give tough time to archrivals India, whom Pakistan are to play on April 7. He added that both CW Games and Champions Trophy in Holland in June would prepare the team for Asian Games, scheduled to be held in August and September.

“That event is our main target. We are right now trying different strategies to develop the team for the Asian Games,” he added. He said that CW Games would be tough as Pakistan would come across Australia, England and New Zealand.