Pakistan seeks improvement at Asian Games

KARACHI: Pakistan is expecting to see an improved show from its athletes at the upcoming Asian Games in China as they seek top honours in field hockey, cricket and wrestling.

Once a powerhouse in field hockey, Pakistan have not won a major title since the 1994 World Cup and their last of seven Asian Games gold medals came in the 1990 Asiad, also held in China.

A gold medal in hockey will earn them a ticket to the 2012 London Olympics, but Pakistan will have to defy recent results which saw them finish 12th and last in the World Cup and sixth at the Commonwealth Games — both in India this year.

Pakistan Hockey Federation secretary Asif Bajwa said gold was the main target at the Guangzhou Games, which run from November 12-27.

“Our main target is to win the Asian Games title and that will help in our bids to revive the sport in the country,” said Bajwa, who on the team’s dismal performances has come under severe criticism from former players.

In a bid to revive their hockey fortunes, Pakistan hired Dutch coach Michel van den Heuvel in June and recalled drag flicker Sohail Abbas, who holds the record of most goals with 306.

“I know well about the importance of the event and that is why we have been training hard to give our best in the competition,” said van den Heuvel.

Ten teams are divided in to two pools. Pool A comprises of defending champions Korea, China, Malaysia, Singapore and Oman, while Group B comprises on Pakistan, India, Japan, Bangladesh and Hong Kong.

At Doha in the last Asiad, Pakistan lost to China in the semi-final before winning the bronze.

Pakistan is also be pinning hopes of winning gold in cricket — a sport which makes its Asian Games debut in Guangzhou in the Twenty20 version.

Despite a second-string squad, Pakistan will start as favourite with India deciding not to send a team.

Wrestlers Azhar Hussain and Mohammad Inam, who both won gold medals at the Commonwealth Games last month, are also podium candidates and have vowed to repeat their Delhi performance.

“I hope to win a gold medal because the one silver and one gold in New Delhi have given me more confidence and I want to shine in China as well,” said Hussain.

Boxing, squash, wushu, weightlifting and snooker are other sports where Pakistan can spring surprises and improve on their one silver and three bronzes won at the last Asian Games in Doha in 2006.

Boxers Mohammad Waseem and Haroon Iqbal Khan both claimed bronze medals at the Commonwealth Games, creating hopes for the country to repeat the gold medal feat by Meherullah Lassi in the Busan Asiad eight years ago.

Khan is the younger brother of British professional Amir and Pakistan’s Cuban coach Francisco Roldan believes he has the potential to go far.