More Than 30 Int'l Players To Particpate Pakistan's Hockey League

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News -30th Augst,2016) : Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) on Tuesday said that more than 30 international players are likely to participate in the inaugural edition of country's franchise-based Professional League to be staged in November. Talking to APP, a PHF official said players from five to ten countries will be participating in the league.

"The most likely countries' players to participate in the league are from Argentina, Germany, New Zealand and Australia," he said. "The event will be staged in Lahore, Faisalabad and Gojra.Now, we are waiting for permission (NOC) from the Punjab Government and for that we had already written a letter to them.We require a NOC from the Punjab Government to invite the foreign players here," he said. He said "we are making all-out efforts to initiate our first league before the end of this year and we are making contacts with players of different hockey playing nations".

He said besides providing financial support to us, the league will prove a landmark in regaining the lost glory of the national game.

"We are sure it will help rebuild our supremacy in the game internationally," he said. He said that since Pakistan has not been performing well in the international arena, the league would therefore increase the domestic players' confidence by playing with foreigners.

"There would be at least five to six teams of different cities including foreign players." Responding to a question, he said Indian players would not be invited for the league. He further said that the camps of national Under18, senior women and senior men's team are currently underway in Islamabad and Lahore.

"We are working on the U18 players in order to groom them for future and they would be sent to participate in international tournaments annually," he said.