NZ delays hockey team departure

New Zealand has said that it will reassess the security measures before sending its team to New Delhi for this month’s FIH World Cup. The team were due to leave for India on February 22 from Perth, but Hockey New Zealand chief executive Hilary Poole said their travel plan has been put on hold. “While Hockey New Zealand still plans for the Black Sticks men’s team to attend the Hockey World Cup in Delhi, it has decided to keep the team in Perth until further notice,” Poole was quoted as saying by the New Zealand Herald. “We have been monitoring this situation but the events over the past 24 hours have led us to reassess,” she said.

Hockey Australia said the team’s schedule remained unchanged. “Until we receive further advice, our plans will remain unchanged,” HA chief executive Mark Anderson said in a statement.

Pakistan to send recce team

Meanwhile, Pakistan will send a two-member delegation to India to assess the security arrangements for the tournament. The Pakistan Hockey Federation said that though it had decided, in principle, to send the team to the tournament, PHF vice president Rana Mujahid and another official, Pervez Bhandara, will leave for New Delhi on Thursday to assess the situation. “Their job is to go and meet the Indian security officials and review all the security arrangements being made for our team in the World Cup,” PHF secretary Asif Bajwa said.

“The security delegation’s visit does not signify in any way that we still have apprehensions about sending our team to India. On that we have got NOC from the government and we have decided our team will leave on February 22,” Bajwa said.