Pakistan may give a surprise to Netherlands in Olympic qualifiers: Shahbaz.

ISLAMABAD -- Former Olympian Shahbaz Ahmed Senior on Tuesday said that Pakistan could give a surprise to the Netherlands in the two-legged hockey qualifier for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The qualifiers would take place in Amsterdam on October 26 and 27.

'It would be tough for the national team as World Ranked 17 Pakistan would be up against World No 3 Netherlands. But nothing was impossible. I want my country to win and be on the top as we once ruled the game,' he told reporter.

Shahbaz, who led Pakistan side to the 1994 Men's Hockey World Cup victory, said in order to regain the lost glory in hockey, the concerned authorities need to take visionary and stern steps.

'We need a proper center like a National Hockey Academy in Islamabad where we can train players the whole year around having basic facilities like pool, gym, education and a hostel for the players,' he said.

Shahbaz, who was the only player to win two consecutive 'Player of the Tournament' awards in the 1990 World Cup in Lahore and in the 1994 World Cup in Sydney, was of the view that we need to groom the under14, U16 and U18 players for future. 'We need a proper grant from the government according to the national hockey's sports calendar and training commitments,' he said.

'Each time we have to plea for grants to participate in national and...