Hockey Team Captain Hopeful of Restoring Pakistan’s Lost Glory at Major Events

Pakistan’s hockey team captain, Umar Bhutta, has expressed satisfaction with the team’s preparations for the Commonwealth Games 2022, saying the team wants to return the game to its rightful place by securing a medal in Birmingham.

“The motivation is to take Pakistan back to where it belongs. The players are pumped up and want to achieve something here. We want to win a medal and improve Pakistan’s legacy at these Games,” said Bhutta.

The Men in Green, who last won the World Cup in 1994 and an Olympic bronze medal in 1992, will open their Commonwealth Games Pool ‘A’ campaign against South Africa today.

While answering a question regarding the current combination, Umar said “It is a challenge for us but the good thing about having a young side is that there is no fear. They are gunning to go all out.”

He stated that despite their best efforts, they were unable to succeed, and that it was extremely difficult to see that things did not go in their favor. However, the players understand that this was only the beginning of a long road to restoring Pakistan’s dominance.

The skipper went on to say that the team’s coach, Siegfried Aikman, is also working hard to get the team to the top level, saying, “What we need is stability and facilities that are on par with the international standards.”