Former Pakistan hockey captain Salman Akbar has set 2012 Olympics as his immediate target and has shown his availability for the national duty.
Salman was off to Europe playing league hockey and did not participate in the Azlan Shah Cup where Pakistan finished second after Australia. Salman said that he was always available for the country and would be playing with the team on its European tour. The Pakistan Hockey Federation included him in the camp probables at Islamabad.
But an official of the PHF said that his name was included after he announced his availability but he has to undergo fitness test for final selection. Salman said that Olympics was not only his but the whole team’s target and the European tour will play a vital part in the team’s preparation for the Olympics. About his fitness, he said that he had just returned from Europe where he was playing league and understood the conditions quite well. “My league experience would be very helpful in the team’s European tour,” he added.
He further stated that he was available for the Azlan Shah Cup but was not called. But PHF official said that when he had shown interest he was called for the camp otherwise in the initial selected probable list he was not included.
