Pakistan Hockey Team To Perform Good In World Cup, Hopes Sports Minister

Punjab Sports Minister Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti has expressed the hope that national hockey team will put up good performance in the World Cup in India.

LAHORE, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Nov, 2018 ) :Punjab sports Minister Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti has expressed the hope that national hockey team will put up good performance in the World Cup in India.

The entire nation is praying for the success of national hockey team in the grand World Cup, he said while addressing a dinner reception which the Sports board Punjab hosted in honour of national hockey team at the Punjab International Swimming Complex Friday night.

Director General Sports Punjab Nadeem Sarwar, Director Sports SBP Hafeez Bhatti, Deputy Director Shahid Nizami and known singer Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan were also present.

Taimoor Khan Bhatti and Nadeem Sarwar warmly received the national hockey team upon reaching the venue.

Addressing the ceremony, the minister said that national hockey team has the talent to win the coveted World Cup title on Indian soil. "Our team has done wonderful preparation under the supervision of two hockey stalwarts, Manager Hasan Sardar and head coach Tauqeer Dar, for the grand tournament and we are quite hopeful that our team won't disappoint the nation and return from India as world champions," he added.

Bhatti said that Pakistan had glorious past in hockey but our national game has been experiencing a downfall for the last couple of decades.

"The way our boys did hard work at training camp, we can expect that Pakistan will regain its lost glory in near future," he added.

He said that the Punjab government is laying astro-turf in different cities. "These turfs will help Pakistan get several new talented hockey players in future and ultimately our national hockey team will be strengthened," he hoped.

Director General Sports Punjab Nadeem Sarwar, in his address, said that national hockey team consisted of talented players. "Our players are taking part in the World Cup with patriotic spirit and we are quite confident Pakistan hockey team will emerge victorious in the mega hockey event," he added.

The DG SBP said he visited national hockey camp twice and found Pakistan players with high spirits. "Sports Board Punjab has always extended every type of assistance for the revival of hockey in the country. We will continue this practice in future as well," he added.

National hockey team Manager Olympian Hasan Sardar and head coach Olympian Tauqeer Dar, on this occasion, expressed their determination to win the world title in India. "Our players are quite upbeat to perform well in World Cup. Sports Board Punjab, under the directives of DG Sports Punjab Nadeem Sarwar, provided top class facilities during our training camp.

As a result of these facilities, our players managed to get top standard training for the high-profile hockey tournament," they maintained.