“India and Malaysia peaked too early in the Azlan Shah tournament last month. We planned in such a way we will peak in the Asia Cup here. Am happy our approach worked”, said Shahid Ali Khan, the coach of the Pakistan team after his team beat both India and Pakistan before reaching the semis. At Ipoh here in Malaysia three weeks ago, Pakistan lost to both these countries.

“No team in the world can play two good tournaments well in two months” Shahid Ali Khan, the first goalkeeper to coach the national team as Chief Coach, said in his analaysis of teams in the ongoing Asia Cup at Kuantan.

“I was with the Malaysian team as Goalkeeper consultant for three years from 2005. They have not changed their team or structure. It made my task easier. I know which player will do what role in the crcial sitation”, Shahid elaborated his team’s succes against Malaysia in the semfinal.

He was high praise for his team’s centre-half Waseem. “He was pivot of the team, and his distribution did the wonders. We believed on the seniors, they delivered for us”.

“Malaysia went for the equalizer once we too the lead, this opened up the game. Our forwards were nippy and finished well”.

Sohail Abbas could not scored today, despite three, four chacnes he got. Am happy the forwards did not depend on him, and did their job. All four of our goals are field goals. I cannot ask more” the triple Asia Cup goldmedallist said.

Shahid Ali Khan is the only Asian Player to win three godl medals in the Asia Cup. He was the goalie of 1982, 1985 and 1989 editions. Pakistan won its last Asia Cup in 1989.