Hockey: Shabbir announces abrupt retirement

KARACHI: Forward Shabbir Ahmed Khan has announced his retirement from international hockey with the Olympics around the corner. “Intimation has been received from Shabbir,” said the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) in a statement. “He does not want to play anymore and has announced his international retirement.” Meanwhile, it has been learnt the player left to play in the Bangladesh league, an action that raised several eyebrows. An official close to the player said Shabbir took the decision after getting signals of his ouster from the Olympics squad from the federation. Former Pakistan captain Zeeshan Ashraf said the PHF should have stopped the player from retiring. “The Olympics are too close and the PHF spent a lot of time and money on him,” said Zeeshan.

Published In The Express Tribune, June 20^th, 2012.