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The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), which is beleaguered after 12th-spot finish by Pakistan at recently-concluded 12-team World Cup in New Delhi, has come up with a bizarre format for the national championship which is the premier event of the game.
Although it will be called “national championship” each team will play nine matches and the winner will be decided on points basis instead of knock-out stages on which tournaments are played to decide the winners.
Interestingly, the so-called national championship will be for players who are under 30 years of age. The step has been taken with the objective to promote and encourage younger players which will help PHF hunt young blood for the future.
But strangely, the PHF will be allowing all the ageing Pakistan players such as penalty corner specialist Sohail Abbas, half-back Waseem Ahmad who gave pathetic performances at the World Cup despite being considered world class players.
While sacked Pakistan coach Shahid Ali Khan had categorically said it was the senior team members who let the nation down at the World Cup, its seems PHF has once again opted to bank on over-the-hill veterans for the forthcoming events.
Another factor will be the absence of provincial teams, making the 16-day event an all-department competition because of strange format and policies on the PHF.
The participating teams are, PIA, NBP, HBL, KESC, Wapda, Port Qasim Authority, Pakistan Army, Pakistan Navy, Pakistan Air Force, and SSGC.
The event, which has become a farce before its start, has also lost its significance since it will be played on a surface which is not suitable for a top-level hockey competition. The pitch at the Hockey Club of Pakistan is not only uneven at several places, but also muddy which has been posing injury problems to the players since it was laid in 2004 December.
The PHF has opted to hold the event after postponing it last year because of the preparation for the World Cup.
Saturday's fixtures
Wapda v Army at 1.30pm; Navy v PIA at 3.00pm; NBP v PAF at 4.30pm.
