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Thursday March 28, 2024

More than 60 matches to be played in two months: Junaid

By Syed Intikhab Ali
October 26, 2020

KARACHI: Pakistan senior hockey team coach Khwaja Junaid has said that more than 60 matches would be played among the best domestic teams during the next two months.

While talking to 'The News' on Sunday, he said that domestic season has been started with the tray championship. The domestic hockey would be in full swing with the beginning of national championship on November 3 in Rawalpindi, he said.

He said that 49 matches would be played in the national championship, which would make up for the lack of competitive hockey during the last seven to eight months because of Covid-19.

"To prepare our boys for Junior Asia Cup 2021, which is to be held in Bangladesh in January, and for Asian Champions Trophy in March in Bangladesh, we have no option but to organise maximum number of domestic matches," Junaid said.

He added that a few days after the national championship, a series of 7 to 9 matches would be organised between Pakistan Whites and the juniors in December.

The players of Pakistan Whites and the juniors would be the most talented players of the country who would represent their country in both Bangladesh tournaments, Junaid said and added that they would learn a lot through these matches and their weaknesses would be marked by their team managements and addressed before the Bangladesh tournaments.

He was hopeful that through these 60 or so matches fresh talent would emerge. He said that members of the national selection committee would be present in all these domestic matches to watch the form and fitness of the players and spot young talent.

Junaid said that the process of rigorous domestic hockey events would not stop and it would be continued throughout the year because senior hockey world cup is also expected by the end of next year. "Thus, we will have to struggle throughout the next year. Some other big tournaments would also be organised in domestic hockey next year to groom the players and find out more talented players," he said.

He said that short training camps of both senior and junior teams would be organised when there were no tournaments.