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Published 21 Feb, 2006 12:00am

Hockey: Give second line players chance against India, says Mansoor

ISLAMABAD, Feb 20: Former Olympian goalkeeper Mansoor Ahmed on Monday called upon the Pakistan team management to try out the second line of players in the remaining Tests against India.

After Pakistan took an impressive 3-0 lead in the six match series winning the third game in Jalandhar 2-1, Mansoor said the officials should start looking ahead to the more important events.

“We have the Commonwealth Games, the World Cup and the Asiad this year and we should have an eye on them by also giving a chance to the second string in the India series.”

Mansoor, a member of Pakistan’s 1994 World Cup winning squad said that by playing new players the management will have a fair idea of how to plan for the events that matter.

“The current India side does not have any real outstanding player but still I think they could spring an odd surprise.”

India dropped the in-form Gagan Ajit Singh for the series while also axing Deepak Thakur, Viren Rasquinha and Prabhjot Singh.

Both Pakistan and India, who finished fifth and sixth in the elite Champions Trophy in December, now play three Tests at Lahore, Faisalabad and Rawalpindi.

Mansoor, who represented Pakistan in three Olympiads, also urged the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) to stage a benefit match for cancer-stricken former goalkeeper Muhammad Qasim.

“The federation and all the players need to do a lot more for him and we will shortly be submitting a proposal to the PHF to organise his benefit game.”

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