Daily Times

KARACHI: Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Development Director Naveed Alam said on Thursday that Pakistan’s 2-1 victory against New Zealand at their own backyard is a big achievement but it should be considered a milestone and not the ultimate goal.

“Our team did a great job by beating New Zealand in its backyard. There were plenty of youngsters and uncapped players in the side. They put up a great performance. However, we must not consider it as our ultimate goal. We should now focus on the Australian series. I must reiterate our actual goal is World Cup,” the former Olympian Naveed told PPI.

He said that PHF has tried to increase the pool of players and in the process raised competition among them and as a result the country has received a dividend in the form triumph in this series.

Pakistan hockey team has landed down under in order to prepare for the all-important Hockey World League’s semi finals, to be held in London in June this year, which would also serve as the 2018 World Cup qualifier.

Naveed said that there was a time when Pakistan, four times world champion, used to beat New Zealand by huge margins. “However, New Zealand invested in its domestic structure but we didn’t. This is the reason New Zealand have overtaken us in the world of hockey,” Naveed lamented.

He further said that the green-shirts will find host Australia a tougher opponent in the upcoming four-test series, which would commenceon March 28 in Darwin.

The four matches will be played at Marrara Hockey Centre on March 28, 29, 31 and April 1.