Pak hockey squad braces up for tough qualifiers for 2010 WC

Karachi: Pitted against strong European and Asian rivals and faced with hostile conditions, the Pakistan hockey team is a worried lot ahead of the qualifying event in Lille, France for next year`s World Cup in New Delhi.

Nothing less than winning the tournament is needed to make the cut for the showpiece event in the Indian capital and Pakistan coach Shahid Ali Khan is a concerned man as his wards are yet to adapt to the conditions ahead of the tournament starting October 31. Pakistan is pitted against France, Poland, Italy, Japan, Belgium and Russia. Former Olympian Shahid said his team is facing problems adjusting to the cold weather in Lille and worse, they have not been able to practice at the newly-laid turf at the competition venue. "The organisers are saying the installation work is still not complete and they will only allow each team to hold a one hour practice before the tournament starts," Shahid said. "It is going to be a very tough tournament for us given the conditions and lack of practice on the match venue," he added. The Pakistan team had to call off a training tour to France, Belgium and Poland before the qualifying tournament because of delayed visas from the European consulates. The team was originally scheduled to leave for the training tour in late September but it didn`t work out as the visas for the players were issued very late. "It is very difficult for a team like Pakistan to adjust so quickly to the conditions and a new pitch. The other teams are all coming from similar weather conditions so they definitely have an edge over us," Shahid said. If they don`t win the qualifying tournament in France, Pakistan will be out of the World Cup as the International Hockey Federation has ruled out any chance of the team getting a wild card entry for the event. Shahid admitted that the pressure of knowing the consequences of not winning the tournament was playing on the players` minds and he was doing his best to get them to focus on the task ahead. "We have a very good side with lots of experience but we are up against couple of very robust sides and we will have to adjust quickly to the conditions to do well," he said. Pakistan failed to seal a place for in the final round of the World Cup after it lost to South Korea in the final of Asia Cup earlier this year. Pakistan has won record four World Cup titles: 1971 in Spain, Argentina (1978), Mumbai (1982) and Sydney (1994). The Pakistan squad: Zeeshan Ashraf (captain), Salman Akbar, Nasir Ahmed, Sohail Abbas, Mohammad Imran, Mohammad Irfan, Waseem Ahmed, Sajjad Anwar, Fareed Ahmed, Mohammad Rashid, Rehan Butt, Shakil Abbasi,Haseem Khan, Abbas Haider, Akhtar Ali, Waqas Sharif, Shafqat Rasool and Mohammad Zubair. Bureau Report