PHF trying to organise an Indo-Pak Test series in UAE

KARACHI: Taking a cue from the Cricket Board, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) is now trying to organise a hockey Test series against India and other foreign teams in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

PHF secretary Asif Bajwa is due to leave for Dubai later today to meet with hockey officials there to discuss the possibility of organising a Pakistan series in UAE, which has a large population of expatriates from Pakistan, India and other Asian countries.

“The UAE states are an ideal neutral venue for us to not only hold matches but also training camps,” Bajwa said.

“I will be meeting with hockey officials in Dubai to discuss the possibility of some series in the coming months as even India hockey officials have shown interest in a bilateral test series,” he said.

Pakistan team has already played a test series against the Netherlands in the UAE earlier this year as part of their preparations for the World Cup held in New Delhi.

Bajwa said with foreign teams not willing to come to Pakistan because of security issues, the only option left for Pakistan was to play at neutral venues until the situation improved.

“We need to give our team regular matches against top teams and having a series against India means good financial returns for both the federations,” Bajwa added.

Due to the prevailing security situation in Pakistan, the cricket board has already been holding its ‘home’ series against various teams in the UAE and have also scheduled their full Test series against South Africa in Abu Dhabi and Dubai later this year in October-November.

Bajwa said it was unfortunate that no international tournament had been held in Pakistan for a while now but said due to the security issues this was a situation the Pakistani hockey community had to accept.