PHF’s probe committee likely to meet this week

KARACHI: The first meeting of Pakistan Hockey Federation's (PHF) fact-finding committee is likely to be held in Lahore this week.

It has been learnt by 'The News' that PHF would try to commence meeting as early as possible after the Pakistan hockey team returns home on June 3 from Jakarta.

The committee, constituted by PHF president Brig Khalid Sajjad Khokhar, comprises Olympian Kaleemullah, Olympian Nasir Ali and KP hockey association president Zahir Shah.

The committee has been tasked to analyse the national team’s failure to reach the semifinals of the Asia Cup 2023 and, as a result, to qualify for the World Cup 2023.

The management was confident that Pakistan would qualify for the World Cup, but in the all-important match against Japan, Pakistan were deprived of two goals and lost the match. It is believed that the team management could not handle the situation properly which cost Pakistan the World Cup qualification.

It has been learnt that all three members of the fact finding committee will gather in Lahore this week and interview the team officials and players individually to find out the reasons for the debacle.

It is pertinent to mention here that 12 players at a time were on the field during the match against Japan, due to which a goal was disallowed and the captain was sent outside the field for 10 minutes.

The committee is to finalise its report by June 20.