Pakistan stars hope to revive Indian ties
Ashraf wants to lay platform for resumption.
NEW DEHLI:
Pakistan stars playing in a new Indian hockey league said that their participation can help revive sporting links between the two countries.
Five current and former Pakistan internationals, including ex-captain Zeeshan Ashraf, are in India for the lucrative but unsanctioned World Series Hockey (WSH) tournament, which started on Wednesday.
“We’re thrilled to be in India,” said Ashraf, who was joined by Adnan Maqsood, Rehan Butt, Shakeel Abbassi and Waseem Ahmed. “This is a great platform to forge friendship between India and Pakistan. I hope it will mark the start of sporting ties between the two countries.”
The Pakistanis have risked their careers to play in the WSH because it is not supported by the International Hockey Federation (FIH), which has threatened to bar players from world events. The world governing body opposes the WSH, which with prize money of $3 million is one of the richest events in the sport, since it is backed by the rebel Indian Hockey Federation instead of the officially recognised Hockey India.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 2nd, 2012.
Pakistan stars playing in a new Indian hockey league said that their participation can help revive sporting links between the two countries.
Five current and former Pakistan internationals, including ex-captain Zeeshan Ashraf, are in India for the lucrative but unsanctioned World Series Hockey (WSH) tournament, which started on Wednesday.
“We’re thrilled to be in India,” said Ashraf, who was joined by Adnan Maqsood, Rehan Butt, Shakeel Abbassi and Waseem Ahmed. “This is a great platform to forge friendship between India and Pakistan. I hope it will mark the start of sporting ties between the two countries.”
The Pakistanis have risked their careers to play in the WSH because it is not supported by the International Hockey Federation (FIH), which has threatened to bar players from world events. The world governing body opposes the WSH, which with prize money of $3 million is one of the richest events in the sport, since it is backed by the rebel Indian Hockey Federation instead of the officially recognised Hockey India.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 2nd, 2012.