The Pakistan males’s hockeystaff, which has travelled to Chennai to battle for high honours within the Asian Champions Trophy (ACT), is feeling at house, a minimum of at first look.
The Pakistan contingent was accorded a heat welcome on arrival on Tuesday night time, with gamers and workers in good spirits even after a tiring journey.
With the event organisers going out of their means to make sure Chennai turns into a house away from house for the travelling groups, Pakistan can not wait to take the sector in India for the primary time in 5 years. The final time a senior Pakistan aspect performed in India was in Bhubaneswar throughout the 2018 World Cup.
On the eve of Pakistan’s ACT opener in opposition to Malaysia, the staff’s coach Muhammad Saqlain had solely good issues to say about India and their hockey tradition.
“I had performed the 2005 Champions Trophy in Chennai, the place I used to be the captain. It doesn’t matter if we’re coming to India after 5 or 10 years. We actually prefer to play in India,” Saqlain instructed TOI after a apply session on Wednesday.
“There’s a fantastic crowd right here. Be it in hockey or cricket, Pakistan have at all times carried out properly in Chennai,” added Saqlain.
The staff was on the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium early within the morning to get a really feel of the turf, although their scheduled apply was within the night. Having underperformed in recent times, Pakistan have picked a squad full of children.
“In fashionable hockey, when you persist with the sport plan and are skillful, seniority doesn’t matter. However some seniors have to be there within the squad. It’s a good mixture of seniors and juniors. I hope that we’re lastly shifting in the appropriate course,” stated Saqlain.
Speaking in regards to the much-anticipated India-Pakistan round-robin contest subsequent Wednesday, Saqlain stated: “It’s a completely different sport. India and Pakistan are identified for the attacking hockey that they play. The coaches of high groups like Holland and Germany love to observe India and Pakistan play,” he stated, including: “I consider that India and Pakistan ought to play extra matches in opposition to one another as they may assist the groups take their video games to the following stage.”
Coach proud of tight schedule
A day after three groups – Malaysia, South Korea and Japan – took a dig on the scheduling of the ACT, Saqlain welcomed the transfer to have the continental event a month earlier than the Asian Video games.
“We’re working to search out out who our key gamers shall be going ahead. The ACT is a gown rehearsal for the Asian Video games. I want to thank the FIH (Worldwide Hockey Federation) for offering us with this event,” Saqlain added.
