Female hockey players eye India tour

Team has not toured since 2008, PHF blames lack of funds.

KARACHI:

Issuance of visas remains the only obstacle between the Pakistan women’s hockey team and its first tour in four years, a mouth-watering trip to India in March.

Pakistan women’s hockey wing was formed in 1996 but has participated in only six events since then, the last of which came in 2008 when the team visited Malaysia. A tour was planned last year but was cancelled due to law-and-order situation in Bangkok but the federation is optimistic about the tour of India going ahead as planned.

“It’s a big event – it will be after four years that we take our team to another country,” Pakistan Hockey Federation women’s wing Senior Vice-President Parveen Sikandar Gill told The Express Tribune. “We’re in the middle of finalising arrangements and the tour of India should take place.

“This tour will kick-start our year in the best possible manner as we also scheduled two international tournaments  for women later this year.

“The real problem is lack of sponsors. The PHF is doing its  best to hold domestic events but our international participation is low and that’s causing a lot of players to quit. Hockey is an expensive sport and it’s useless to continue if there’s no future, especially if there’s no international recognition.”

Gill added that the tour of India will serve a fresh start for the female players desperate for international exposure.

Meanwhile, team captain Amna Mir said that many hockey players still hoped for an improvement in the sport. Mir has been part of the Wapda squad and, according to her, while women’s hockey on the domestic level has improved, a lot of ttalent was being wasted due to lack of international exposure.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 22^nd, 2012.