‘Seniors-juniors series the best option’

KARACHI: Pakistan’s former Olympian Kamran Ashraf has said that the series between Pakistan seniors and juniors was one of the wisest decisions taken by PHF for rebuilding the country’s hockey.
“This should be continued so that both of our teams remain in good shape and a good pool of players is always available,” he said while talking to ‘The News’ on Tuesday.
“When foreign teams are not coming to Pakistan and we have no opportunity to send our teams abroad, it is the best option.
“The experience of playing such players as Muhammad Imran, Shakeel Abbasi, Imran Butt and Muhammad Irfan will prove a great help for the juniors,” he said.
Kamran, who is in Lahore to see the preparation of the juniors for Asia Cup 2015 in Malaysia, said that Pakistan hockey was in critical condition and the entire fraternity had pinned its hopes on the juniors’ performance in Asia Cup, which starts from November 14.
He said that the qualification for Junior World Cup 2016 through Asia Cup would provide a lifeline to Pakistan’s hockey and people would forget the wounds of failure to qualify for Hockey World Cup 2014 and Rio Olympics 2016.
He said that the three-match series helped Pakistan juniors make up for their lack of international match practice.
Kamran, who is considered close to the current PHF management, said that in the current circumstances, keeping in view the shortage of time and funds it was a great decision to engage both strings.
Kamran appreciated Olympian Shahid Ali Khan’s appointment for coaching the two selected goalkeepers for final training.
He said Shahid was one of the best goalkeepers produced by Pakistan. “He is always active in domestic hockey and knows the needs of the players and their weaknesses,” he said.
The former centre forward said the junior team was not very strong but was improving each day through a rigorous training schedule.
“The last match against Pakistan White and two matches in Malaysia against China and Japan will shape the Green-shirts as a winning combination,” he said.
The former Olympian said that senior and junior teams’ matches should be continued till the Junior Hockey World Cup 2016. “It should be continued until the structure of our domestic hockey is strengthened and foreign teams start visiting the country,” he proposed.