Daily Times

LAHORE: Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has on Friday announced a World-XI hockey team tour to Pakistan comprising stars from hockey’s top nations. The 2-match series will take place in Karachi and Lahore on January 19 and 21 respectively. Globally recognised players from Germany, Australia, Netherlands, Spain, Argentina, China, New Zealand and Belgium will be touring Pakistan for a 4-day visit in a bid to revive international hockey in Pakistan.

Hockey is Pakistan’s national sport but has seen little progress in the recent past and no matches have been played in Pakistan in recent years. From the glory days where Hockey was the main sport of Pakistan and produced some of the most coveted names like Sohail Abbas, Shehbaz Senior, Akhtar Rasul and Samiullah, the Hockey World-XI tour aims to revive Hockey in the country with league matches to follow later.

Pakistan Hockey Federation’s president Khalid Sajjad Khokhar said, “The foreign team, which is a blend of world’s renowned hockey players, will be arriving in Karachi and will play its first match at Abdul Sattar Edhi Stadium on January 19. Karachi’s match will be played under lights and the match at Lahore will be a day affair.”

The foreign team includes Kylie, David Alegre, Juan Escarre, Santi Freixa of Spain, Agustin Burgallo, Diego Paz, Roc Oliva of Argentina, Hidde Turkstra, Philip Muelenbroek, Roderick Weusthof, Rob Reckers, Matthijs Brouwer, Rob Lathouwers, Floris Bovelander of Netherlands, Benjamin Wess, Christian Blunck, Justus Scharowsky of Germany, Phil Burrows, Kyle Pontifex of New Zealand, and Grant Shubert.

A special function will also be held in Karachi to honour foreign and home players with their induction in the Hall of Fame. Talking about the event, Mr Khokhar said, “The prime objective of induction of players in ‘hall of fame’ is to develop a new culture in Pakistan hockey and to give recognition to those foreign and home players, who excelled in the game at the highest level”. He added, “It will be a big step forward to motivate the youth to take up hockey as a sport and to revive the game in Pakistan.”

PHF is hopeful that with friendly matches like these and the arrival of hockey players from all around the world, it will help bring back international hockey to Pakistan. And most importantly will instil confidence and hope in our national hockey players who right now are the need of the hour.