Part of national hockey championship to be held at Dr Shah-Islahuddin academy

KARACHI: Due to the World Soccer Stars football match in Karachi at Abdul Sattar Edhi Hockey Stadium in April, the National Hockey Championship’s opening ceremony and some matches will be organised at Dr Muhammad Ali Shah-Islahuddin Academy in North Nazimabad, sources in the PHF divulged to 'The News' on Friday.

The championship commences from April 20. The football match will be played on April 27. The Dr Shah-Islahuddin academy has all facilities to organise any national-level event, sources said. The turf of the academy is in good shape and floodlights are installed at the ground.

Sources said that due to the preparation of the football match it would not be possible to hold hockey championship matches smoothly. The city administration has started preparation for World Soccer Stars event. Commissioner Karachi Iftikhar Shalwani visited the Edhi hockey stadium the other day to review the arrangements.

He met stadium manager Olympian Iftikhar Syed and discussed the arrangements.

It is expected that tens of thousands will throng the hockey stadium to see the world renowned footballers, including Portugal’s Luis Figo, Brazil's Kaka, Spain's Carles Puyol and France’s Nicolas Anelka. Sources said that the matches of the national championship from April 28 would be played at Edhi Stadium.