Another disappointment for Pakistan Hockey, as Indo-Pak Series is postponed
A three-match series that was to take place in Dubai between arch-rivals, Pakistan and India has been delayed following a legal spat between the Indian Hockey Federation and Hockey India.
This comes as a huge disappointment for the Green shirts; earlier Pakistan series against Egypt had also been postponed due to political unrest in the region.
Since the Asian Games victory in November 2010, the Pakistani team has not confronted any international team. It is in dire need to face off strong contenders before the upcoming Sultan Azlan Shah Cup to be held in Ipoh, Malaysia starting May 5.
The Pak-Indo series was postponed after the IHF and HI fought over the organising rights for the event.
The Pakistan Hockey Federation’s (PHF) Associate Secretary Rana Mujahid said, “It is really disappointing, especially after the postponement of the series against Egypt. Our team needs to play more against foreign teams but things are not going our way.”
The delay has prompted Pakistan Hockey officials to set a short series with some other country namely Malaysia or China before the Azlan Shah Cup.
According to Mujahid, "We are looking at other options to play a series against China, Malaysia or some other country before the Azlan Shah Cup.”
Most expectedly, a PHF Executive Board meeting is to take place today, March 16 in Lahore where this matter will be discussed over and a possible solution will be created.
In other developments, the Pakistan Whites will be awarded with a prize money of Rs 1.6 million for their victory in the Asian Games in which they beat Malaysia 2-0 to clinch the gold medal.
The prize distribution ceremony will be held on 17 March, 2011 at Lahore’s National Hockey Stadium. The chief-guest for the occasion will be the Punjab’s Education Minister Mian Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman.
The players to receive the cash award are Khurram Majeed, Saleem Nazim, Mohsin Bilal, Khalid Bhatti, Aamir Shehzad, Zeeshan Ali, Abdul Khaliq, Tasawwar Abbas, Imran Butt, Waqas Akbar, Kashif Javaid, Abdul Ghaffar, Muhammad Naghman, Muhammad Waqas and Abdul Qayyum Dogar.
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