Pakistan hockey captain offers to retire

KARACHI: Pakistan’s hockey captain Zeeshan Ashraf on Tuesday offered to retire from international hockey following his team’s poor performance in the World Cup.

Four times champions Pakistan, with just one win the group stage, finished last in their pool and now face the ignominy of playing for the 11th-12th position playoff against Canada.

“I am ready to quit and take the responsibility for the team’s dismal show in the World Cup,” said Zeeshan, a seasoned defender. “I am ready to retire but it’s the PHF (Pakistan Hockey Federation) which will decide my future.”

According to a report on Tuesday, Pakistan’s hockey chiefs will sit down in Lahore soon after the World Cup to take a decision on the future of under-performing senior players.

A Pakistan daily, The News, has reported that the national hockey think-tank will meet at the PHF headquarters next week to look into the reasons behind their team’s poor showing.

The team’s performance sparked scathing criticism from all quarters, especially for the performance of senior players Sohail Abbas, Zeeshan, midfielder Waseem Ahmed, striker Rehan Butt and goalie Salman Akber.

“The Pakistan hockey think-tank, which will meet in Lahore soon after the World Cup, will analyse the team’s performance. It is expected to be a marathon meeting,” said a PHF source.

“It will focus on the performance of the senior players, who have failed to do well in the World Cup. There are indications that some of them might be ignored for future assignments.”

“Whenever our team loses in a major international event, its management is always shown the door,” said another source. “But the players who are equally responsible for the loss are spared. They always come back and fail. There is a chance this time the axe will fall on them.”

However, there could also be a disagreement on sidelining the senior players from the national team. It will be a busy year for the Pakistan team which will be featuring in three international events before competing in the Asian Games in China in November.

Pakistan will take part in the Asian Champions Trophy in Ipoh in April before participating in the Sultan Azlan Shah Trophy, also to be staged in the Malaysian city early this summer.

In October, Pakistan will feature in the Commonwealth Games to be held in New Delhi before the all-important Asian Games.

“It is true that Pakistan didn’t play well in the World Cup,” said a PHF official on condition of anonymity. “But the problem is that you can’t just destroy the team by kicking out all the experienced players because there isn’t enough bench strength.”