‘PHF will wait for Hanif till last minute’

KARACHI: Pakistan national senior hockey team will depart for Malaysia on April 2 from Karachi to participate in the Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey tournament and PHF is optimistic that manager Hanif Khan will go along with the team.

Hanif has differences with the selectors over the selection of the players for the Malaysian tour.

Informed sources said that PHF had got visa for Malaysia for Hanif and would wait for him to join the national hockey team till the last minute.

PHF secretary Shahbaz Ahmed confirmed that visa had been arranged for Hanif. He said that tickets for the Malaysian tour would be purchased on Friday (today).

He said that he could not say if the manager was not interested in going with the team. “It is up to team manager Hanif Khan. The PHF will wait for him till the last minute,” he said.

Other sources said Hanif was annoyed over the selection, but he would join the Green-shirts in Karachi before the departure of the team.  Hanif himself has been silent and has chosen not to say anything about the matter.