Pak may skip 2 hockey tourneys

New Delhi, March 16: Left with little option after the mass retirement of players and the sacking of selection panel following it’s dismal showing in the hockey World Cup, Pakistan might skip the inaugural AHF Champions Trophy and Azlan Shah Cup to be held in Malaysia later this year.
Four-time champions Pakistan registered its worst-ever performance in the World Cup, finishing last in the 12-team competition which concluded here on Saturday.

Subsequently, the entire 18-member squad led by Zeeshan Ashraf retired from international hockey taking moral responsibility of the performance, while the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has sacked the team management and the selection committee chaired by Olympian Hassan Sardar.

Struggling to deal with these issues, sources within PHF said chances were high that Pakistan might pull out of these two events.

“Officials are contemplating the idea of pulling out as they don’t have any other option. The decision over players resignation is still pending and the new selection committee has not yet been constituted. In these circumstances, it is impossible to field a squad for the tournaments,” a top PHF official said.

The Asian Hockey Federation’s (AHF) Champions Trophy is slated to be held in Ipoh, Malaysia from April 13 to 18 while the Azlan Shah Cup will be held at the same venue from May 6 to 16.

PHF secretary and the team manager during the World Cup Asif Bajwa has confirmed that the national federation was thinking of giving these two tournaments a miss but a decision on this matter would be taken later in the week.

“Nothing is finalised as of now but we might stay out of the AHF Champions Trophy and Azlan Shah Cup. We will discuss a whole range of issues in an important meeting this weekend and a decision regarding our participation in these tournaments will be taken in that,” Bajwa said from Lahore. — PTI