Islamabad: Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Secretary Haider Hussain has revealed that the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has been requested to issue a no-objection certificate (NOC) to the national team to allow them to participate in the Asian Champions Trophy being held in India. Six teams will participate in the event, which will take place from August 3-12 in Chennai. "We have written a letter to the PSB for NOC," Hussain told Geo News in an exclusive interview. "We have also sent our entry to the Asian Hockey Federation," he added.

Hussain also shed light on why Pakistan could not afford to miss the Asian Champions Trophy, while also ruing the lack of funds. "We will have to pay a hefty fine if the team doesn't participate in the event. It will also pave our path towards Olympics qualifiers," he said. "Lack of funds is the biggest hurdle but we are trying to resolve this issue through the help of the government and the private sector," he added.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan junior hockey team's training camp resumed on Wednesday (today) in Lahore. This will be the final phase of the preparation for the Junior Asia Cup 2023 to be held in Oman. Sources said that 28 players have been directed to report at the training camp at the DHA hockey academy. The Junior Asia Cup is scheduled to be held from May 23 to June 1. The event is also the qualifying round of the Junior Hockey World Cup 2023. The top three teams of Junior Asia Cup 2023 will qualify for the Junior World Cup. The PHF has planned to organise two-day trials for the selection of the Pakistan junior team. Sources said that the trials would likely be held on April 29 and 30. PHF President Brig. Khalid Sajjad Khokhar, Secretary Hussain and Selection Committee Chairman Kaleemullah will be present on the occasion.

The team management will also organise junior boys' matches against senior players of the Pakistan hockey team or strong departmental teams during the training camp. These practice matches will be organised at the DHA hockey academy. The schedule for these matches will be announced after the selection of the team. The Pakistan junior team will leave the country on May 20. The training camp will be continued till the departure of the team, sources added. The teams have been divided into two pools. Pool A comprises Pakistan, India, Japan, Thailand, and Chinese Taipei, while Pool B consists of Korea, Malaysia, Oman, Bangladesh and Uzbekistan.

Pakistan will play their first match against Chinese Taipei on May 23, Thailand on May 24, India on May 27 and Japan on May 29.

Published in The Daily National Courier, April, 27 2023

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