9-A Side Hockey Tourney From Aug 7

ISLAMABAD,(APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Augst,2016) : Pakistan Cup 9-A Side Hockey Tournament being organised by Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) will roll into action from August 7 in Karachi.

All the matches will be played at the Abdul Sattar Hockey Stadium with most of the games scheduled at night under floodlights, a PHF spokesman said on Thursday. The teams include country's top departmental sides: PIA, WAPDA, SSGC, National Bank of Pakistan and Customs.

A sixth team has also been added by the name of PHF Development Squad. The 9-A-Side matches would be of two halves of 20 minute duration each with a five minute interval. The goal posts are put wider.

The penalty corners are three vs four i.e. goal keeper and two defenders defend against four attackers including the injector/pusher. The long corner's format is also different. There are five defenders (including goal keeper) in the goal.

While five attackers charge from the 23 metre line. The spokesman expressed the hope that exciting and attacking hockey at a fast pace would be witnessed with less stoppages. Each goal is to be rewarded with a cash prize of five thousand rupees, he said The tournament, he said would be played as a single league followed by the final between the top two team on August 13.

On August 14, there will be prize distribution as well as a musical concert. On the opening day, President PHF Brig (R) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar would be the chief guest and the official ceremony for the change of name of the stadium from Hockey Club of Pakistan to Abdul Sattar Edhi Hockey Stadium, would also be held. About the PHF Development Squad he said that it was comprised of comprised of promising players who are on the fringes of national senior and junior teams.

These boys are not part of any five departmental sides competing in the event - PIA, WAPDA, National Bank of Pakistan, SSGC and Customs, said a PHF spokesman on Thursday. PHF Development Squad: Goal Keepers: Talal Khalid (Sialkot) & Hafiz Umair (Faisalabad).

Full Backs: Aaqib Ali (Gojra), Abu Bakr (Gojra) & Ali Raza (Gojra). Half Backs: Tayyab (Gojra), M.Ali (Karachi), Junaid Kamal (Bannu), Ali Raza (Faisalabd) & Yasir Ali (Peshawar). Forwards: Sheharyar (Bahawalpur), Umar Hamdi (Bahawalpur), Saran bin Qamar (Multan), Saleem Khalid (Gojra), Naveed (Faisalabad), Muhammad Shajeeh (Sargodha), Asfandyar (Quetta), Fayyaz Yaqoob (Sargodha). Officials: Khawar Javed, Nadeem Ahmed Khan and Naseer.