Pakistan hockey team arrived at Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore on Sunday night, November 28, after bagging the gold in the Asian Games.
The team received a warm welcome at the airport, by the President and Secretary of Pakistan Hockey Federation along with some other government officials and fans, who were excited to see the winning heroes.
Excited people at the airport expressed their happiness by showering rose-petals on the winners and garlanded them. The joyous fans lifted the champions on their shoulders out of the airport, as soon as they came out of the arrivals
lounge. Many of the fans were standing outside the airport, waiting long before the team’s arrival from Guanzhou, China. This large crowd outside the airport celebrated the golden victory of the team in the traditional way, by dancing to drum beats and raising
the slogans of “Pakistan Zindabad” (Long Live Pakistan).
President Asif Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani have already announced the cash prizes of half a million Rupees for each player of the team. The hockey team manager Khawaja Junaid said the warm welcome which the team
received on its arrival proved that hockey was still alive in the country and that Pakistani people had not forgotten this sport despite a number of recent disappointments.
Pakistan’s golden victory in the Asian Games after a long period of two decades made the fans ecstatic. Pakistan beat Malaysia by 2-0 in the final after thrashing South Korea in the semi-final on penalty strokes.
Giving his views, veteran penalty corner specialist and legendry goal scorer Sohail Abbas said that they had a tough match with India, which made the players more determined and prepared for the final.
"The matches against India and Korea were really hard and when we went into the final we were confident we could beat Malaysia," Abbas said.
Abbas said that he was ready to play for the national team as long as the country needed him maybe even up to the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
Talking to the media, team Captain Zeeshan Ashraf said that the longed-for hockey title would start an era of success for hockey in the country. He also thanked the nation for giving such a warm welcome.
"Winning the gold medal was a big high but this is much bigger, the welcome we have got today is amazing. I am thankful to God that he gave me the honour of leading the team to the victory stand," he said.
Pakistani goalkeeper, Salman Akbar, who also played a vital by defending penalty strokes in the semi-final against South Korea, said that big organizations should sponsor hockey, in order to encourage the players."I think now is
the time for big organizations to come forward and support hockey, we need to find more talent and offer more incentives to players to take up hockey as a profession," Akbar said.
Akbar dedicated his gold medal to the recent flood victims in Pakistan.
PHF Secretary Asif Bajwa declared that the next target of the team was Olympics 2012 and the hockey World Cup 2014. He congratulated the national team for their outstanding performance.
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