ISLAMABAD - Pakistan’s top squash player Tayyab Aslam Tuesday said he was highly optimistic about his chances in the individual event as well about Pakistan team’s chances in the Asian Games Squash starting in Jakarta. Pakistan Squash contingent will depart for the Asian games on 17th of this month.

Tayyab also showed satisfaction over the team’s training schedule ahead of the Games under Muhamamd Yasin, his assistants Fazal Shah and Asif Khan and physical trainers Kahsif and Boota and said the players were getting into shape both physically and technically.

Pakistan are seeded 4th for the team event behind Hong Kong, India and Malaysia for the Asian Games but Tayyab was hopeful that Pakistan would go all the way to top finish in the event despite considering Hong Kong the toughest opponents and a real threat in Pakistan’s way.

“Off course teams like Hong Kong, India and Malaysia are highly tough and had the services of top players, who are playing at the PSA level for years and had much improved rankings than us. But it doesn’t matter as in the past too we had beaten all of them and we are highly confident of beating them again.”

Tayyab said the Pakistan Squash Federation was taking very good care of players and after playing regular PSA events throughout the year and getting trained at Islamabad for last three months, the players are really in good shape and could bring glory to the country.

About his own preparations, Tayyab said he had been playing continuously for last few months after making a comeback from injury and was focused on improving his PSA rankings.

He said he has achieved his first goal of regaining his to spot in squash ranking in Pakistan after participating in major national events and now his next target was winning individual as well as team gold for Pakistan in the Asian Games.

He said current Pakistan squash squad members including him, Ammad Fareed, Israr Ahmed and Asim Khan had been playing together ofr past several years and it would help them a lot as a team to excel at the top level.

“Keeping in mind of training and the work we are putting in we are not going to get down easily and will give our more than 200 percent. Luck also plays a major role. If we get favourable draws, then we have quite realistic chances of doing extremely well in individual event as well as in team event.”

When asked about whether they feel the pressure as there is no Farhan Mehboob, Farhan Zaman, Aamir Atlas and Nasir Iqbal, who not only had big names but huge reputation as well, Tayyab replied: “If Farhan Mehboob could have been with us, it could have made lot of difference. He is very experienced and the experience would have made huge physiological difference as it for the very first time that we all four are participating in the Asian Games.”

However, Tayyab said their morale was sky high and ready to cope the pressure of playing at bigger stage and people’s expectations and would play our natural game and would try to win the titles for the country.