The Hindu : Sport / Hockey : One Indian player for each Pakistan Super League team

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Aug 11, 2005

Sport

Sport - Hockey

One Indian player for each Pakistan Super League team

Lahore: While the absence of mercurial drag-flicker Sohail Abbas and former captain Waseem Ahmed will take some sheen out of the inaugural Super League, Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) hopes that the presence of an Indian player in each of the six participating teams would make up for the loss in gloss.

Announcing the details of the tournament on Tuesday, PHF secretary Brig Musarrat Ullah Khan said six teams — one from each province — would take part in the inaugural Super League which would be played under lights from September 8 to 18 at the Hockey Club of Pakistan in Karachi.

Brig Khan lashed out at the Sohail-Waseem duo and accused the former of adopting `double-standards'. "In an interview, Sohail claimed he has great respect for the green shirt and the country but he prefers to play in the Netherlands," he said.

He said quality players from India would add sheen to the event. "India has confirmed to send its top players," he said.

Each of the participating teams — Sindh Qalandars, Baloch Lions, Frontier Falcons, Shan-e-Punjab, Capital Dynamos and Northern Cavaliers — would have one Indian in their ranks, according to the PHF official.

Brig Khan also dismissed reports that the European players had turned down the invitation to play in the Super League owing to security apprehension.

"The PHF has not invited any Europeans. However, Malaysian Hockey Federation said its players will not be available because of their league in September," he said. — UNI

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport