Expect a great show from Pakistan, says hockey captain

NEW DELHI - Pakistan hockey captain Rehan Butt, after arriving here Wednesday, promised a great show from his team at the Oct 3-14 Commonwealth Games.

Pakistan finished 12th at the World Cup earlier this year, but Butt hoped that this time they will put up a much improved show.

“Australia, England and New Zealand are always tough opponents and the match with India, apart from be an emotional challenge, is always a tough game,” he said.

Pakistan have flirted with success in hockey in the last two editions of the Commonwealth Games, having finished with a bronze in 2002 at Manchester and silver in Melbourne in 2006. In 1998 in Kuala Lumpur, when hockey was introduced to the Games, they however had a pretty poor run, finishing fourth in their group.

Asked if Pakistan were targeting gold this time, Butt said: “We cant say we will win for sure, but we will definitely give it a good shot. Our aim is to do well in the Guangzhou Asian Games, so a good result here will always be a great plus for us.

As I had said even before leaving Pakistan, efforts of the host city should be supported instead of being criticized. We have just landed here and have still to get to our rooms, but what see around me is quite beautiful. I am sure that the Village and other facilities will be quite excellent, he said.