LAHORE: The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) on Wednesday announced its activities for the year 2022 featuring six international and several domestic competitions, including the flagship event of Pakistan Super Hockey League.

The schedule was announced after the approval of PHF president retired Brig Khalid Sajjad Khokhar, read a PHF press release issued here.

According to the international schedule, Pakistan will compete in the Asia Cup in May this year before participating in a Five-a-Side tournament being held in Switzerland in June. In July-August, the Pakistan hockey team will feature in the Commonwealth Games being held in Birmingham.

The Asian Games, being staged in Hangzhou China during September, will provide Pakistan with an opportunity to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics. If the green-shirts claim gold medal in Hangzhou, they will qualify for the Olympics Games, which the country, a former three-time Olympic champions, has missed for eight years during the tenure of Brig Khokhar as PHF president.

A six-nation hockey tournament in Spain scheduled for December will Pakistan’s last international activity during the year.

On the domestic side, 16 All-Pakistan tournaments besides U-16, U-19, seniors, men and women national championships, national inter-club and many other activities are on the cards.

It may be mentioned here that the PHF, for the last four years, has been trying to start its Super League on the pattern of PCB’s Pakistan Super League but has failed to do so.

Published in Dawn, January 13th, 2022