I have no plans to retire: Sohail Abbas

Islamabad, Mar.10 (ANI): Despite a forgettable show in the ongoing Hockey World Cup, Pakistan's star drag flicker Sohail Abbas has said he has no plans to hang his boots in the near future.

Abbas said he believes that he still has some years of hockey left in him.

"I have no plans to retire. I think I still have some years left in me. So I want to serve my country as long as I can," 34 year-old Abbas told media person after Pakistan suffered yet another defeat in the tournament at hands of Australia.

The four time World Cup winners were defeated 2-1 by the Kangaroos, thus ending their campaign with only three points.

Abbas looked awfully out of form in the tournament, as he failed to deliver his magical skills in any of the match.

He, however, attributed team's poor show to fatigue.

"We have been playing continuously for the last six month. So the players were fatigued and that led to the drop in the performance levels," Abbas said while rejecting to accept that his fitness level has dropped considerably.

"I am very happy with my fitness in this World Cup. I have played four World Cups. In fact, fitness wise it has been one of my best-ever. So I want to continue playing," The News quoted Abbas, as saying.

Meanwhile, former Pakistan hockey players have demanded the resignation of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) secretary and team manager Asif Bajwa for the team's disastrous World Cup campaign.

Islahuddin Siddiqui, the former Pakistan captain, criticised Bajwa for running a 'one-man show'.

"Our team has flopped miserably in the World Cup and I believe that the main culprit for the debacle is Asif Bajwa. He has been running a one-man show in the PHF for the last two years," Siddiqui said.

Pakistan lost four of their five Pool B matches in the World Cup to finish last in their group. They will now be playing against 'minnows' Canada for the 11th position in the 12-nation tournament.

Siddiqui also urged President Asif Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to look into the issue and take quick and stringent measures to help save the game.

"Its time that a thorough inquiry is conducted to find the reasons behind our poor performance.We have a major event like the Asian Games and need to move forward by taking some bold steps," he said. (ANI)