IPOH – Pakistan have made a bold decision by including seven players from the Hockey Junior World Cup in their final 18-player squad for the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, scheduled from tomorrow until May 11.
Under the guidance of head coach Roelant Oltmans, the world number 15 side will face defending champions Malaysia in their opening clash at the Azlan Shah Stadium in Ipoh.
Pakistan, known as the “Flying Green Horses” by their fans, have made 15 appearances in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup and won the tournament thrice (1999, 2000 and 2003) since its inception in 1983.
The team, which arrived for the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup on April 27 from Islamabad, had only three days to train for the tournament.
Arriving late for tournaments hosted by Malaysia is not new for Pakistan, as their junior team arrived for the Junior World Cup in Bukit Jalil last year just a day before the tournament kicked off.
The tournament saw Oltmans’ charges losing to Spain in the quarter-finals.
Speaking to Scoop, the Dutch coach said the decision to bring seven youngsters for the invitational tournament was to ensure they would get enough game time with a view to regular senior appearances in the years to come.
“These are the future players of the country and they need to be playing in tournaments like these to bring out their best.
“I have been coaching them for several years now, and I know the quality they possess. With more exposure, such as playing in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, they can easily be selected for more senior team tournaments in the future.
“We may not have enough time to train for this tournament, but the team is balanced, and the majority of the players I have are experienced.
“Hence, I will be banking on them to lead us to success in this tournament this year,” said Oltmans when met at the Azlan Shah Hockey Stadium in Ipoh.
The tournament will also feature Canada, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea. – May 3, 2024