‘World XI likely to arrive on January 10’

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) president Brig (rtd) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar said on Friday that World XI planned to tour Pakistan from January 10.
“Army and Interior Ministry have promised to provide security cover to the players,” PHF president said while addressing media.The PHF, however, is yet to reveal the names of the players who will be part of the World XI.
Khokhar said that Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah had expressed his willingness to buy two franchises of Pakistan Hockey League.“The provincial government has also given us Rs100 million as a grant. The current PHF has received Rs580 million in just two years,” he said.
The PHF president admitted that the team had performed poorly in the four-nation hockey in Australia. “We are working hard on team’s improvement and are busy establishing academies and are also working to improve goalkeeping standard,” he claimed.
Pakistan conceded 17 goals in the four-nation event and scored just five. The PHF president said the federation was focusing on Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. He said that the PHF had approached the government for the federation’s audit.
Khokhar claimed that six teams from KP were in Khairpur for a junior hockey event. “We have decided to conduct open trials to select KP teams on November 30,” he revealed. The PHF president said that Tahir Zaman would be given an important responsibility shortly.