Asian Champions Trophy
\nFederation\u2019s secretary says Pakistan cannot afford to miss the event
\n Islamabad
\nPakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Secretary Haider Hussain has revealed that the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has been requested to issue a no-objection certificate (NOC) to the national team to allow them to participate in the Asian Champions Trophy being held in India. Six teams will participate in the event, which will take place from August 3-12 in Chennai.
\n\u201cWe have written a letter to the PSB for NOC,\u201d Hussain told Geo News in an exclusive interview.
\n\u201cWe have also sent our entry to the Asian Hockey Federation,\u201d he added.
\nHussain also shed light on why Pakistan could not afford to miss the Asian Champions Trophy, while also ruing the lack of funds.
\n\u201cWe will have to pay a hefty fine if the team doesn\u2019t participate in the event. It will also pave our path towards Olympics qualifiers,\u201d he said.
\n\u201cLack of funds is the biggest hurdle but we are trying to resolve this issue through the help of the government and the private sector,\u201d he added.
\nMeanwhile, the Pakistan junior hockey team\u2019s training camp resumed on Wednesday (today) in Lahore. This will be the final phase of the preparation for the Junior Asia Cup 2023 to be held in Oman.
\nSources said that 28 players have been directed to report at the training camp at the DHA hockey academy.
\nThe Junior Asia Cup is scheduled to be held from May 23 to June 1. The event is also the qualifying round of the Junior Hockey World Cup 2023.
\nThe top three teams of Junior Asia Cup 2023 will qualify for the Junior World Cup.
\nThe PHF has planned to organise two-day trials for the selection of the Pakistan junior team. Sources said that the trials would likely be held on April 29 and 30. PHF President Brig. Khalid Sajjad Khokhar, Secretary Hussain and Selection Committee Chairman Kaleemullah will be present on the occasion.
\nThe team management will also organise junior boys\u2019 matches against senior players of the Pakistan hockey team or strong departmental teams during the training camp. These practice matches will be organised at the DHA hockey academy.
\nThe schedule for these matches will be announced after the selection of the team. The Pakistan junior team will leave the country on May 20. The training camp will be continued till the departure of the team, sources added.
\nThe teams have been divided into two pools. Pool A comprises Pakistan, India, Japan, Thailand, and Chinese Taipei, while Pool B consists of Korea, Malaysia, Oman, Bangladesh and Uzbekistan.
\nPakistan will play their first match against Chinese Taipei on May 23, Thailand on May 24, India on May 27 and Japan on May 29.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Asian Champions Trophy Federation\u2019s secretary says Pakistan cannot afford to miss the event Islamabad Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Secretary Haider Hussain has revealed that the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has been requested to issue a no-objection certificate (NOC) to the national team to allow them to participate in the Asian Champions Trophy being held in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":327778,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-327763","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n