May 08, 2008	Thursday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 2, 1429

LAHORE, May 7: Indian Hockey Federation’s newly-appointed ad hoc committee has shown its keenness to revive the home and away series with Pakistan after the Olympic Games this year,” a Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) spokesman said on Wednesday.

The last series between the two countries was held in 2006.

“In a telephonic message, an official of the ad hoc committee has shown great interest in holding the series between the two countries,” the spokesman said.

“Although PHF is interested as well, it is not yet ready to commit for it before the Olympics since the Pakistan hockey team is involved in hectic preparation for the mega event,” he said.

Currently the Pakistan side is on a 40-day tour of Malaysia and Europe. After playing in the Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia this month, it departs for Europe for a series of matches in Germany, France and Belgium before taking part in the 4-Nation Hockey Tournament at Dublin, Ireland, in the middle of June. Thereafter it will be involved in its final preparations for the Olympics.

“This urgency to hold the series between the two nations is more from the Indian side since the eight-time Olympic champions have been ousted from the Olympics for the first time in 80 years. “The Indians, who suffered ignominy in two back-to-back tournaments in Australia (at Perth and Darwin) recently, are desperate to rebuild their outfit keeping in mind the staging of the 2010 World Cup in India. However, PHF is receptive to the suggestion of holding such a series while the modalities for staging it will be worked out between the two federations after the Beijing Olympics,” the spokesman concluded.