Thaindian News

Islamabad, Sep 14 (IANS) The Pakistan hockey team may have lost to its arch-rivals India in Asian Hockey Championship final but most of the Pakistani people and hockey officials here are satisfied with the team’s impressive performance.

Pakistani hockey fans and team manager expressed their satisfaction with the young team’s performance.

The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) was criticised for resting some senior players and inducting junior players for the tournament.

Before the team’s departure to China for the mega event, many sports analysts criticized the PHF’s decision. However, the team’s performance silenced all the critics.

“We were really unlucky, we were in control during field game in the final but somehow failed to score in shoot-out,” team manager Khawaja Junaid was quoted as saying by Xinhua.

Junaid, an Olympian, said that even reaching the final with a young team was a major achievement as Pakistan tried out several youngsters, and this decision will help Pakistan to prepare a best team for the London Olympics.

By winning three matches, losing one and drawing one, the Pakistan team got ten points before playing the final match against India on Sunday in Ordos, China.

Muhammad Imran, a hockey fan from capital Islamabad, said that though the team lost in the end, he was happy as the team’s improvement was excellent.

The Pakistan team was warmly welcomed by the officials and hockey fans when they arrived at the international airport in the country’s southern port city of Karachi.