READY, SET, RARING TO GO: Arrangements are being put in place for the team to play two matches, one in Karachi on January 19 and the other in Lahore on January 21, in Pakistan. PHOTO: REUTERS
Arrangements are being put in place for the team to play two matches, one in Karachi on January 19 and the other in Lahore on January 21, in Pakistan.
Legendary penalty-corner specialist Sohail Abbas will be captaining the World XI side, which will include players from Holland, Spain, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and South Korea, in the two matches against Pakistan’s national hockey team.
Bringing hockey back: World XI to tour Pakistan
On the sidelines of World XI team’s visit, a Hall of Fame event will also be organized to honour former greats of the game from Pakistan, Australia and the Netherlands.
“They’re arriving on 18th of January to play the first match in Karachi on January 19 and second in Lahore on January 21,” a PHF official told The Express Tribune. “We are trying to give both cities an equal opportunity to witness historic matches and see international stars playing in front of them.”
The World XI includes Rob Reckers, Roderick Weusthof, Philip Meulenbroek, Hidde Turksta from Netherlands. Santi Freixa, Juan Escarre, Roc Oliva and David Alegre from Spain, Grant Schubert from Australia, Benni Wess and Justus Scharowsky from Germany, Emmanuel Stockbroekx from Belgium, Augustin Bugallo, Deigo Paz and Nahuel Salis from Argentina will travel to Pakistan.
Dutch player Reckers is a three-time Champions Trophy gold medallist. He was also part of a silver-medal winning team at the Athens Olympics. Weusthof won a silver medal in 2012 London Olympics. He also won a gold medal in 2006 Champions Trophy with the Dutch team. The 29-year-old Turksta is among players who are currently in action with the team and he also represented the Dutch team in the 2016 Olympics.
Spanish Freixa, Alegre and Escarre were members of Spain’s team that won the Champions Trophy gold medal in Lahore in 2004. Freixa and Alegre, along with Oliva, won a silver medal at Beijing Olympics 2008 for Spain.
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Australian Schubert, who was named FIH young player of the year in 2003, has six gold medals in his tally with the Kangaroos. He was a member of the Australian team that won Champions Trophy in 2005, 2008 and 2009. He also won a gold medal in 2004 Athens Olympics, 2006 Commonwealth Games and 2010 World Cup.
Germany’s Wess won two consecutive Olympic gold medals with his team, first at Beijing in 2008 and then at London in 2012. The 37-year-old Scharowsky was a member of the 2007 Champions Trophy team for Germany. Stockbroekx was a member of Belgian Hockey team that won the Silver medal in 2016 Rio Olympics.
Paul Litjens, Floris Jan Bovelander and Rob Lathouwers from Netherlands and Don Prior and Ric Charlsworth from Australia are the players who will be visiting Pakistan to receive their Hall of Fame award in the ceremony before the matches.
“We are hopeful that the arrival of hockey stars from around the world will not only open the doors of international hockey in Pakistan, but it will also provide a much-needed boost to the national sport in the country,” added the official.
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