PIA fail to turn up for National Hockey

RAWALPINDI: The 66th edition of the National Hockey Championship received a big jolt when former champions PIA expressed their inability to field the team in the tournament.

The organisers were then forced to include PAF to complete a 10-team roster.

The championship gets underway on Thursday (today) at the Mari Petroleum Ground in Rawalpindi.

“We all are in a state of shock not to see former champions PIA in the competition. PIA have not only ruled national hockey for years, it has also produced so many legends. It is nothing less than a big blow to domestic hockey,” tournament director Zahir Shah said on Wednesday.

Just recently Pakistan Hockey Federation President Brigadier (r) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar had a meeting with PIA CEO Air Marshal Arshad Malik in Islamabad. The PIA CEO had offered all possible assistance to the PHF for the promotion of hockey.

“We have included PAF, who finished third in the Tray tournament, in the National Championship.” Zahir Shah said.

“We could not even imagine that a team that has done great service to national hockey would not take part in the National Championship.

“They have their team but possibly they are staying away because of some financial constraints. Whatever is the reason, it is very upsetting,” he added.

In PIA’s absence, National Bank are strong contenders for the title. Other teams in the single round-robin league competition are Wapda, Navy, Police, MPCL, Army, Port Qasim, Punjab, Sui Southern Gas (SSGC) and PAF.

Today’s matches: Navy vs Port Qasim; Army vs Police; Wapda vs Punjab; National Bank vs PAF; Mari Petroleum vs Sui SSGC.