PHF plans to hold four-nation event in jeopardy

ISLAMABAD: The recent spike in COVID-19 virus upstage Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) plans to hold a four-nation international event or to invite a couple of teams to play tri-series well before the Asia Cup to be held in Malaysia in the month of May.

Desperate to give international exposure to Pakistan probable players well before the 2022 Asia Cup which will also serve as the qualifying round for the World Cup 2023, the PHF was planning to host a four-nation tournament comprising leading Asian teams like Korea and Japan.

However, the recent spike in Covid cases upset federation plans. “The recent virus hike has created difficulties in traveling. Though negotiations are on with some of the Asian countries’ federations, holding four-nation in March looks increasingly difficult. Majorly of players belonging to these countries are reluctant to travel and to go through a quarantine period due to fresh wave of virus. The PHF is trying hard to give maximum international exposure to the Pakistan team ahead of the May Asia Cup. We have a few plans in our mind with one of these is to organize a four-nation in March or April. Our efforts are still on as we hope to get some respite from the growing virus cases to make fresh efforts to hold the event. The tri-nation series and bilateral series are in our mind but the best scenario would be to hold four-nation hockey to restart the international action in Pakistan,” a PHF official when contacted said.

He said that top national aspirants have everything but what they lack is international exposure that crippled their progress in the recently held Asian Champions Trophy held in Bangladesh. “What we want is to give at least ten international matches to the team before heading to Malaysia for the May Asia Cup. Since the Cup holds immense importance for the country’s hockey, we need to go into the event fully prepared and ready unlike that of last month’s Champions Trophy.

“Even the World Cup is not far away but the first target is to prepare a competitive outfit for the Asia Cup where our efforts would be to win it. A good performance in Asia Cup would set things rolling for Pakistan hockey. From there on we would only have one target and that is to prepare with full force for the World Cup,”he added.

The top four teams from the Asia Cup 2022 will qualify to play the World Cup to be held in India in January 2023.