(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) He is regarded as one of the best hockey goalkeepers to ever play the game. A World Cup winner in 1994 and a three-time Olympian, Mansoor Ahmed, evokes respect among the hockey fraternity around the world.
The former captain, who was a key member of the Pakistan team at three consecutive World Cups, will be in Oman as a manager of the Pakistan Development Squad that will meet Oman in a five-Test series at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex, starting on September 9.
Ahmed is a member of a star-studded delegation, announced by the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) on Saturday, that includes hockey stalwarts like Rehan Butt, Muhammad Saqlain and Muhammad Usman as the team's coaches.
K K Poonacha, Oman coach
All the three coaches have captained Pakistan, a three-time Olympic gold medallists and four-time world champions, and represented their country at the Olympic Games. According to Shakir Munir, Oman's goalkeeping coach and a former Pakistan junior international, the presence of Ahmed, whose penalty stroke save in the final helped Pakistan defeat the Netherlands and win the world title in 1994, along with three other former Pakistani stars, will be a great opportunity for Omani players to interact with those stalwarts.
Ahmed was declared the best hockey goalkeeper of the world in 1994. He played in five World Cups and three Asian Games and was a member of the team that won World Cup, Champions Trophy in 1994 and gold at Asian Games in 1990.
The 18-member team was finalised after a selection trial in Lahore on Friday. The squad was picked from a pool of 30 probables and comprises players from the national junior team, Pakistan White and senior probables. The five Tests are Oman's key build-up for the forthcoming Asia Cup that will be hosted by Bangladesh in Dhaka from October 11-22.
Speaking to Muscat Daily, Oman coach K K Poonacha said, 'The players in the ongoing camp have been training hard for the past week. The group will have a Eid break before regrouping for the Test series on September 6.
'The Pakistan Development Squad is a strong team featuring their top junior players and players who are on the fringes of senior team. We will have a good exposure against such a strong side and I hope the boys will gain valuable experience.'
Oman in Pool B
The eight-nation tenth Asia Cup features the continent's best teams with the winner gaining a direct entry into the 2018 World Cup, which will be held in Bhubaneswar, India, from November 28-December 16.
Oman has been placed in Pool B with reigning champion South Korea, fancied Malaysia and China. Pool A has India, Pakistan, Japan and Bangladesh.
The tournament will be held at Maulana Bhashani Hockey Stadium and it will be the second time that Bangladesh will host Asia Cup Hockey after hosting the third edition in 1985.
Oman takes on South Korea on October 12 in its opener and then faces China on October 14 before concluding its pool engagements against Malaysia two days later. The classification matches and semifinals will take place between October 18 and 21 with the final on October 22.
'Future of Pakistan'
After the team selection in Lahore, coach Usman was quoted in Pakistani media as saying that 'these players are the future of Pakistan hockey and some of them are so talented that they can be inducted in the national senior team based on their natural hockey talent and potential.'
Usman said the tour of Oman will give necessary practice to the team members besides exposing the junior players to competitive hockey.
'The tour is beneficial for both sides (Pakistan and Oman), as Oman is preparing the team for Asia Cup to be held in October,' he said adding, 'with a five-match series we will be able to evaluate the progress and performance of our players.'
Oman goalkeeping coach Munir believed that the visiting team has some 'very talented players' and it would be an acid test for Oman national team ahead of Asia Cup.
Munir also said that the Oman Hockey Association (OHA) has yet to finalise the venue for the overseas camp ahead of Asia Cup in Dhaka.
'We are in talks with our Malaysian counterparts but nothing has been finalised. If we fail to finalise a camp in Malaysia then India would be the next choice,' he said.
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