Federal, Sindh govts allow PHF to hold juniors camp in Karachi

KARACHI: The federal and Sindh governments have allowed PHF to organise the training camp of junior team with strict implementation of Covid-19 SOPs, 'The News' learnt on Monday.

The third and last phase of the training camp of Pakistan Junior team is to be organised at Abdul Sattar Edhi hockey stadium in Karachi. It will begin in three to five days, said a PHF official.

Informed sources said that PHF was in contact with the federal government for getting permission. There is less than two months time before the team competes in the Junior Asia Cup as it is scheduled in early June in Dhaka.

A PHF high official when contacted confirmed that PHF has received the permission to organise the training camp. The PHF has started the preparation, he added. PHF sources did not say for how long the training camp would continue. "Let's see how the training camp runs during Ramadan. PHF will discuss this with the team management because some days rest wil also be required before the Asia Cup," the official said.

It is pertinent to mention here that the federal and Sindh governments have also gave permission to PCB to organise the training camp of Pakistan women team at Moin Khan Cricket academy in Karachi. It started from Monday.

The third phase of the training camp of Pakistan junior hockey team was due from April 7, but was delayed because of the third wave of Covid-19. The camp commandant and head coach of Pakistan juniors Olympian Danish Kaleem has said that it is crucial for Pakistan junior boys as other teams have been playing bilateral series to prepare for Junior Asia Cup. "We cannot afford further delay in the training camp," he told this correspondent.

He further said that rigorous and hard-hitting training would be given to the players. "We train the boys keeping in view the time of the event. As it is the last stage, it will be the toughest training," he added.

Danish further said that after observing Eidul Fitr, a series of practice matches with the Pakistan Whites would be held which would be the last stage of this training camp.