Hockey legends left out of medal-winning list

ISLAMABAD: The 1984 Olympic Champion team captain Manzoor Junior and 1971 World Cup winning captain Khalid Mehmood’s names have been missing from list of players who would be awarded medals during the forthcoming World XI Hockey team tour to Pakistan.

Manzoor Junior was not even the captain of the of Los Angeles Olympics Games team that won the gold for Pakistan he also played decisive role when Pakistan went on to win 1978 World Cup in Argentina. Khalid Mehmood was the first captain who went on to win world cup title for Pakistan.

Both legends however have been left out of the medal winners list. The other notable missing are world’s record goal-scorer Sohail Abbas and legendary inside left Hanif Khan. On the occasion, PHF plans to award medals to six former players that include Islahuddin, Shahnaz Sheikh, Akhtar Rasool, Samiullah, Hassan Sardar and Shahbaz Ahmad. The PHF also plans to award medals to some veteran foreign players including Paul Ligens, Bovelander, Christian Blunke and Ric Charlesworth. Even the PHF is unsure as which veteran player would come and which would miss the tour. So no names have been shared with media so far.

The ceremony to award medals to hockey players would be held in Karachi. World XI team will play matches in Karachi and Lahore on January 19 and 21 respectively.