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Pakistan will begin its Asian Games campaign against Thailand on September 20 as the team looks to improve on its recent international performance.
The 20th Asian Games will officially open on September 19 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Organisers have also arranged a cruise ship to accommodate around 4,000 athletes and officials because of accommodation challenges.
Pakistan currently ranks 12th in the world. The team faces a demanding challenge in Japan, but chief selector and former Olympian Samiullah expects the Green-shirts to reach the final.
“We should play the final,” Samiullah told The Express Tribune on Wednesday.
He added that even a silver medal would represent a good achievement for the team.
Samiullah said Pakistan produced several strong performances at the World Cup.
He singled out the 3-3 draw against Wales as a missed opportunity.
“I think the team has played good matches in the World Cup, barring the one against Wales (3-3), which we should have won,” he said.
However, he believes the team must address several weaknesses before the Asian Games.
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Pakistan needs to improve its defensive clearances inside the shooting circle. Samiullah said poor clearances can give opponents opportunities to win penalty corners.
He also highlighted stamina and finishing as areas that need attention.
Pakistan’s penalty-corner conversion rate also requires improvement, according to the chief selector.
Pakistan has a strong record in Asian Games hockey.
The team has won eight gold, three silver and three bronze medals since the 1962 Jakarta Games.
Pakistan last won a silver medal at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon.
The team will face strong competition again in Japan.
Samiullah described India as a particularly difficult opponent. He also warned that Japan could pose a serious challenge.
“Even beating Japan is also not that easy,” he said.
Pakistan has been placed in Group B alongside Malaysia, China, Oman, Uzbekistan and Thailand.
Group A includes India, Japan, South Korea, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Indonesia.
The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals.
The semi-finals are scheduled for October 1. The gold-medal match will take place on October 3.
Pakistan will play its group matches on the following dates:
September 20: Thailand
September 22: Uzbekistan
September 24: China
September 26: Malaysia
September 28: Oman
Samiullah credited Pakistan’s foreign coaching staff with improving the players’ mental strength.
He said the team showed its ability to score quickly during recent matches, including at the World Cup.
However, he wants the players to control matches more effectively.
Pakistan must learn to take the lead, protect it and then build on its advantage, he said.
“This will happen only when you play controlled hockey in all zones,” Samiullah said.
The team also gained useful preparation from its recent tour of South Korea.
Samiullah believes that experience will help Pakistan ahead of the Asian Games.
“It will help the team definitely in Japan. It was important,” he said.
Pakistan has retained the squad that competed at the World Cup.
Pakistan squad: Muhammad Abdullah, Muhammad Sufyan Khan, Moin Shakeel, Abdul Waheed Ashraf Rana, Abdul Hannan Shahid, Zikriya Hayat, Arshad Liaqat, Adeel Latif, Ahmad Nadeem, Ghazanfar Ali, Ammad Shakeel Butt, Muhammad Hammaduddin Anjum, Abdul Rehman, Afraz, Umar Mustafa, Abu Bakar Mahmood (captain), Abdul Manan and Muhammad Ammad.
Pakistan will open its campaign against Thailand on September 20. The team will then face Uzbekistan, China, Malaysia and Oman in Group B.
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