The goal, when we started out, was not only to try and defend the title India had won four years back, but also to ensure our No 1 position in Asia. Last month, we won the Asia Cup in Delhi and at that time, Japan was not there, and if we get past them here and to the gold, it will be all the more sweeter.

While there is some pressure on account of Leander's (Paes) absence, I must add that the rest of the guys have been extremely good. Fazaluddin, Srinath and Nitin Kirtane have all been charged up and I have never seen Srinath as excited as he was this morning while playing Mohammed Khaliq.

I miss Leander because with him, we could have had a comfortable time. I am not being cocky, but I think we could have strolled along for a gold in men's doubles and had a good time in team. That would have given us a better chance of gettingsome more medals from individual events and mixed doubles.

The day he pulled out I spoke to him and he said he was on crutches. I think it was okay to stay away because we are at the start of a new year and we are aiming to be No 1 in doubles in 1999. I was looking forward to him being around till two days before the team came to Bangkok but then I suppose if you can't, you can't.

The other way of looking at Leander's absence is that we have less pressure on us now. With Leander, we would have been expected to win gold and nothing less.

The next step is the semis against Japan, whom we did not play in the Asia Cup in Delhi. Coming back to today's match against Pakistan. They had troubled us the last time we beat them in Asia Cup, so we were naturally wary. But the way Srinath played against Khaliq, it was unbelievable.

After a win like this, it was difficult not to get motivated and it took the pressure off. My opponent Aisam al Qureshi is a good youngster -- I believe he was ranked inside top 10 inthe world in juniors -- and he has a big serve. Our match was all boom-boom, no long rallies or rhythm.