Musharraf, Aziz hail Rabo Trophy hockey Victory
Pakistan Times Sports Desk

ISLAMABAD: President Gen. Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz Sunday hailed Pakistan’s title victory in the Rabo Trophy Hockey Tournament with a 4-3 triumph over Australia in the final at Amstelveen in Holland.

“This marvellous victory will certainly be the harbinger of better things to come as it will boost the morale of Pakistan hockey team which had not won a title for many years”, President Gen. Pervez Musharraf said in a message of congratulations to team manager Saeed Khan, chief coach Asif Bajwa and team captain Muhammad Saqlain.

He said the tournament victory at Amstelveen on Sunday would revive Pakistan hockey and motivate the players to bring glory to the Nation by winning the World Cup Hockey Tournament in Germany next year and the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

“I am sure Pakistan can also win the Champions Trophy title at Chennai (India) in December this year if the boys play with the same spirit and team combination”, he said.

He said Pakistan had last won a major title by lifting the World Cup trophy at Sydney (Australia) way back in 1994. “Hence the victory in Rabo Trophy in which the top teams of the world were participating would do a world of good to the confidence of the Pakistani players who would certainly regain a measure of self-respect”.

The President said the Pakistan team played with a team spirit and cohesion throughout the tournament. “It was pleasing to see the Pakistani team thrash Germany 5-0, India 3-1 and then Australia 4-3 in the final”.

He had a word of praise for every player but commended the fine performances of goalkeeper Salman Akbar, penalty corner flicker Imran Warsi, defender Muhammad Saqlain and forwards Adnan Zakir, Shabbir Hussain, Mudassar Ali Khan and Rehan Butt in the final against Australia.

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said it was lovely to see the Pakistani players revive the memories of great Pakistani teams of 1960s and 1970s.

“Pakistan team’s performance against Germany and India and then against Australia in the final Today has put us again on top of the hockey-playing world”.

But he cautioned the team against slackening down. “We still have a long way to go. If we win either the World Cup next year or the Bejing Olympics in 2008, only then can we relax and claim that we rule the hockey world again”, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said.

He advised Pakistan Hockey Federation to continue strenuous preparations for the World Cup and Olympic titles. “Preparations should begin now so that the team reaches its right fitness and form when the World Cup is held in Germany next year”.

Nonetheless, he said, the team had done a wonderful job by winning the Rabobank Trophy in which were playing all the main teams of the world, like Germany, Australia, India, Korea, Spain, Holland and England.

Federal Minister for Sports Malik Muhammad Ajmal Khan, Minister of State, sen. Muhammad Ali Durrani, President of Pakistan Olympic Association, Lt. Gen. Syed Arif Hasan, and Director General of Pakistan Sports Board, Brig. Arif Mehmud Siddiqui, were among those who felicitated the Pakistan hockey team on winning a tough tournament like Rabo Trophy.●