Pakistan junior hockey team’s preparatory camp for Egypt winds up – Hockey News
The preparatory camp that was underway in the National Hockey Stadium, Lahore for the junior men players for the Egypt tour has concluded yesterday, on August 3.
The team was found very determined and confident while leaving for Egypt for a five-test series in Cairo from August 6.
Before departing, the team’s captain, Mohammad Umer Bhutta shared his views with media and expressed that the tour holds great importance for the team, especially for the young debutants of the squad.
Even though Pakistan’s young side will be playing against the senior side of Egypt, the player’s are very positive regarding their performance at the tour and are anxious to put up a mark of their abilities with their good show.
The captain asserted the fact that it will be a good learning experience for the young players and that the team is focused towards winning the series.
“After our participation in Junior Asia Cup in Singapore changes were made in the squad keeping an eye on future assignments of the team and new faces are included to strengthen the weaker areas exposed during the Junior Asia Cup”, he added.
According to Bhutta, he was convinced with the team’s preparations and believed that the event will be helpful for the team’s build-up for the World Cup qualifiers ahead.
The team’s chief coach and manager, Rana Mujahid, shared his views that the Egyptian team will play the series as a preparation for their next month’s Africa Cup therefore a tough competition is expected from their end. Pakistan’s junior players will be
exposed to international hockey against their senior opponents that will turn out to be challenging.
Mujahid said, “We should not over look this aspect that our junior team is playing their senior team and players will be getting much needed experience. It does not mean we will be playing weaker sides all the times, of course we will be playing top European
and Asian junior teams as a part of our training of our team in coming months.”
The coach predicted a fifty-fifty situation regarding the series, keeping in view the level of competition that will be displayed at the test matches.
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