Pak juniors training ends; to depart for Canada on June 16

KARACHI: Pakistan’s junior hockey team’s training camp in Karachi has been wrapped up and the players have been released.

It is expected that the Green-shirts will leave the country on June 16 for Canada where they will play five test matches against Canada’s senior team from June 20 to July 2. The team’s head coach Kamran Ashraf said that Sunday was the last day of the training camp.

He said the team did a lot of hard work during the training camp. The training was made harder by the extremely hot weather in the city, he added. “We focused on their physical fitness and form. They have attended long training sessions and now need to play extensive international matches against strong teams so as to be well prepared for competing in the Junior World Cup next year,” he said.

The juniors will play against Canada’s and China’s senior teams there, which will help them learn a lot. Pakistan will play one match against China, who will be in Canada in that timeframe.

Kamran further said the Canadian tour and later the six-nation tournament in Pakistan in September would be great experience for the youngsters. “In the six-nation tournament, too, they will play against senior sides,” said the head coach. He said that the boys who played against the World XI in the recent past would be part of the Canada tour.