Eleven foreign goalkeepers to be part of the teams

KARACHI: PHF has started the preparation for nine-a-side Nishan-e-Haider tournament in a befitting manner at Abdul Sattar Edhi Hockey Stadium in Karachi in the first week of October.

PHF is organising this event to pay tribute to the heroes of the country who sacrificed their lives for the defence of the country, ‘The News’ learnt on Wednesday. The most significant aspect of the tournament is that 11 foreign goalkeepers will be part of this competition, which is a faster format of hockey.

The teams will be named after 11 martyrs who have been bestowed with Nishan-e-Haider, the highest military award of the country. This will be the first occasion in Pakistan’s sports history that 11 foreign players will participate at domestic level in any discipline.

PHF secretary Shahbaz Ahmed has used his contacts around the world to invite the foreign goalkeepers. “A good number of foreign goalkeepers have agreed to participate in the event and consultation is on with others,” Shahbaz told this correspondent.

He added that PHF was taking the event very seriously as it would pave the way for return of international hockey to the country. It aims to boost the domestic hockey and glamourise the national game. The event will be live telecast on TV, a source said.

PHF high officials said that negotiations with the foreign players were in the final stage. They refused to disclose the names of the goalkeepers, saying they will be announced when preparation for the tournament is finalised.

They said that handsome prize money and other awards will be given to the successful teams and players in various categories. They mentioned that except the goalkeepers all players will be Pakistani. The matches will be of fifty minutes duration, of which 10 minutes will be for penalty shootout. The sources said the matches would begin with a penalty shootout.

The teams will be named after Captain Raja Muhammad Sarwar, Major Tufail Muhammad, Major Raja Aziz Bhatti, officer Rashid Minhas, Major Rana Shabbir Sharif, Sawar Muhammad Hussain Janjua, Major Muhammad Akram, Lance Naik Muhammad Mahfuz, Captain Karnal Sher Khan, Havaldar Lalak Jan, and Naik Saif Ali Janjua.