Preparation for national championship in Sukkur begins

KARACHI: The PHF has started the preparation for the 64th national championship scheduled to be held in Sukkur from December 15-30. The national selection committee has been directed to pick the provincial teams to participate in the championship, ‘The News’ has learnt.
PHF’s director development and domestic Olympian Naveed Alam said that the selection committee headed by Hasan Sardar had been directed to choose the provincial teams in order to maintain high standard of hockey.
The committee would consult the provincial associations while selecting squads, he added. He said that one team each from all four provinces would participate in the championship. He said a combined team would also be selected to represent Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), FATA, and Islamabad.
It is pertinent to mention here that the provincial teams used to face humiliating defeats against departments who had the services of the most talented players of the country. Alam said 20 to 22 teams were expected to participate in the championship, including new entrants Fauji Foundation, SSGC and ZTBL.
He said that it was the first time that the national championship was being organised in Sukkur. He said all modern-day facilities were available there, including a new turf, and floodlights. Alam said that the details of the championship, including the schedule and the names of technical officials and umpires, would be announced in a couple of days.
He said organising the national championship in Sukkur meant that the national game was not restricted to big cities. The Sindh government is also playing a major role in organising the national championship in Sukkur and will provide all possible facilities.