Selection of ageing player flayed

The assertion of the coach is that these two players are over the hill and may become a liability in the defence of Pakistan’s world title.

However Shahbaz, who is the highest paid hockey player in the world _ representing Orange and Black club, Utrecth (Holland) and earning $100,000 for the season, says that he has come back on the insistence of president of Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Akhtar Rasool.

Skipper Tahir Zaman, who also plays in the Dutch League expressed similar feelings and added that leading the country was agreat honour.

The feeling in the team management is that both these players are rather too old for modern day hockey, Shahbaz is 33 year old while Tahir is 29. The Pakistan team, which left for Holland this morning to play two matches there to raise fund for charity for Karachi-based children welfare society run by Dutch nuns, is likely see couple of changes for the Indian leg of the test series.

What has upset the PHF authorities is the fact that Indian forwards continuously beat the Pakistan defence inside the 25 yard area and the striking circle earning as many as 33 penalty corners. It is a different matter that Indians failed miserably in the conversion.

This sentiment was also shared by former left winger Wasim Feroz, who took premature retirement from the national squad due to the inhouse intrigues.