Pakistan based Waseem Hockey Club won’t make it to the Senior Nehru Cup as they get less number of visa.
Waseem Club was to join Bangladesh XI as the second foreign club team for the 49th Senior Nehru Cup being played in New Delhi, but the government of India gave visa only to ten players and three officials. Other players case was to be decided a couple of days later.
Yet, Waseem Club officials wanted to come to India but the Nehru Society did not want to have a half team. In fact, those who did not get visa include captain and goalkeeper of the team.
“We got permission from all required departments, but ultimately had to cancel the team from the list”, said disappointed Kukoo Walia, Secretary of the Nehru Society.
However, a team from the other neighbour, Bangladesh, has landed in time. They were given an exhibition match yesterday against local team, Punjab and National Bank.
This team has 18 players and four officials, will be led by goal-keeper captain Md. Zahid Hossain.
The team, which is actually Dhaka XI, has two players who play for the national team, besides a player who play for a second division club in Germany.
Coach Mahbub Harun, who took over the team in April this year, is hopeful of good fight, thought don’t want to guess where it will finish in the competition.
“There are very good teams here, I cannot set a target or predict where we will finish. It is an opportunity we will try to make full use of”, he said.
Earlier in the day, Indian Air Force gave a tough fight to Indian Oil Corporation before going down valiantly at a misguiding score of 1-3.
Air Force almost forced the champion team out of the main round when it took the lead early and held it till the half time. However, it gave away easy equalizer and then Gurjinder converted team’s sixth penalty corner to give the much needed 2-1 lead. In fact, the team collapsed in the last seven minutes to give the Beighton Cup champions a place in the main round.
Lovedeep Singh of IAF struck in the first half, while Gurjinder, Deepak Thakur and Prabhjot Singh posted goals for IOC.
On Sunday, IOC will take on South Central Railway in the knock-out while Quartefinal league also starts with a fixture between PSB and PNB (3.00 PM).