National Hockey goes into action from Friday

Hockey – Regaining the lost glory

KARACHI, Dec. 23 (APP)- The 62nd edition of National Hockey Championship will be held at the newly installed blue Astro-turf at Hockey Club of Pakistan Stadium from December 25 to January 10.

Overall 20 teams including 15 departmental teams, four provinces Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhawa (KPK), Balochistan and Federal Territory would be taking part in the 17-day championship.

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will be defending their crown in the event.

“We would be launching Umpire Referral System for the first time during the nationals,” Tournament Director Qamar Ibrahim told a news conference here at HCP on Wednesday.

Tournament Chief Coordinator Kamran Ashraf, President SHA Shahid Ali Khan and Organizing Secretary Muhammad Farooq were also present on the occasion.

However nor President Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar neither Secretary Shahbaz Ahmed were present at the news conference.

Organizers said matches from the quarterfinal stage will be held in floodlights in order to attract hockey lovers.

Organizing Committee is planning to hire generators for holding matches under lights.

Reverse Cosmoses Plan (RO) is being installed at the HCP in order to use sweet water for watering the pitch.

According to reports, Karachi Water and Sewerage Board has disconnected the water connections of HCP for non payments in tunes of Rupees 20 millions Responding to a question about the neutrality and fair play in presence of most of the PIA officials in the Organizing Committee and in PHF, Qamar Ibrahim claimed justice will prevail.

Sindh Governor’s XI will meet Sindh Chief Ministers XI in the inaugural match.

Both the teams in the opening match will comprise of former Olympians and Internationals.

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