IOA panel to go by MEA advice on hockey tour to Pakistan

Bangalore: The ad-hoc committee of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) in charge of hockey in the country will go by the advice of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for the senior team’s tour of Pakistan in January.

The committee has not taken a call yet on the tour although Pakistan has proposed that the series be held between January 4 and 16. A decision was to be taken in the coming weeks but committee sources told TOI that with the five-match Test series between the junior teams of India and Pakistan being cancelled, they would rather adhere to the ministry’s advice on the January tour. On Monday, the MEA refused to clear the junior side’s tour to the strifetorn country, citing security concerns. India were slated to play the opener on Tuesday in Karachi.

“As far as the senior tour is concerned, we hadn’t made much headway after the Pakistan Hockey Federation sent their proposal. Now that the MEA has made its stand clear, we would rather abide by whatever decision it takes in the coming weeks,” the sources said. “We wouldn’t want to comment on the outcome of the tour but in any case, the Indian team wouldn’t be missing much as it would be playing Pakistan in the Punjab Gold Cup double-leg four-nation tournament between January 31 and February 9 in Chandigarh and Jalandhar.”

Incidentally, the Punjab Gold Cup, which also has Holland and Germany in the fray, will be India’s first exposure tournament if the Pakistan series gets cancelled. From then on, it is a hectic competitive period with the team travelling to New Zealand for a test series, to Ipoh for the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in April and Europe in July-August.

“India play two tests each in Auckland and Wellington between February 19 and March 2. The team is likely halt in Sydney or Melbourne en route to New Zealand for a few practice matches against Australian Hockey League teams. The Azlan Shah is from April 3 to 12 while on the European tour, India may play tests in England, Belgium and Spain. We are in touch more countries so that it can be a comprehensive tour.”

For the juniors, who are preparing for the World Cup next June, the two-week tour of Argentina in the first week of December will come as an apt platform to test their strengths and weaknesses.

“They will play test matches against the hosts and one game against Holland who too will be in Argentina around the time,” the sources said.