ISLAMABAD, March 2: Pakistan despite fitness concerns are looking to improve their bronze finish, occured four years ago, as they prepare for this month’s Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.

A ruthless 7-1 semifinal drubbing by New Zealand in Manchester at the last edition in 2002 had left Pakistan’s gold hopes in tatters but the current team managers say all that is history now.

“We are heading for the Games with a positive frame of mind and I think we should be playing the final this time,” coach Asif Bajwa told Dawn on Thursday.

But worries remain over physical fitness of players with two of the star forwards Shakeel Abbasi and Rehan Butt nursing hamstring injuries.

Although Asif says the injuries that forced the duo to miss last week’s final Test against India were only minor, both have been unable to train at the short camp in Islamabad.

Pakistan who won the six-Test series with India 3-1 will have another two training sessions before the team flies out on Saturday.

“We are focussing on the flaws that came to fore during the India series but the time available to us is quite short.”

In the days after the Games that run from March 15 to 26, Pakistan have the World Cup qualifiers coming up. “We have no room left for any experimentation.”

Whatever had to be tried out was done during the recent Test series and with this being the year of the World Cup and Asian Games, Asif finds himself in a really tight position.

“The India series, the Commonwealth Games and the World Cup qualifiers - the hectic sequence of events makes it difficult for us to have the players in top physical shape,” says Asif under whom Pakistan finished fifth at the Champions Trophy in December.

“Hockey has become so demanding these days that if the rolling substitution rule had not been introduced, players wouldn’t have lasted one tournament.”

But Asif knows that if his side are to qualify for the final his players will have to play to their potential. “The problem is that some of the new faces are working overly hard to keep their places and end up committing blunders.”

A good enough evidence of that came in the sixth Test in Rawalpindi where the home defenders allowed a three-goal lead slip away as India fought back to force a dramatic 3-3 draw.

Interestingly, Pakistan’s first opponents in Melbourne will be India but having beaten them gives Asif’s side quite an edge. “I firmly believe that we are a better side and I am confident we will defeat them.”

Warning his side against complacency, the coach said that to achieve the aims his team will have to go all out in every match, no matter what the quality of opposition. “We cannot afford to relax one bit.”

Asif felt that his defenders were under pressure of scoring off short corners just as Sohail Abbas used to do. “Everyone wants Imran Warsi and Mohammad Imran to be like Sohail which is one of the reasons for their below par strike rate.”

He also pointed out that with the curve of the blade having been reduced, it was becoming harder for the defenders to score with a drag flick.

Still he thought that both the defenders needed more time to come good. “One cannot become a star overnight.”

One player though who impressed Asif the most is inside-left and centreforward Mohammad Zubair. “He has been the find of the series, he is quick and with experience can serve Pakistan really well.”

Meanwhile, Asif’s deputy Rana Mujhaid while calling for a goalkeeping coach said that Pakistan’s defence off short corners also needed attention. “We are trying to rectify the problem.”