Despondent national hockey squad returns with bronze from Asia Cup

PHF executive board will held a meeting next week review the status of hockey.

LAHORE: After Pakistan failed to qualify for the hockey World Cup for the first time in its history, the  Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) secretary Asif Bajwa said on Tuesday that all measures, including any possible roll of heads, will be taken to strengthen the sport in the country, Express News reported.

Speaking to the media after returning from their disappointing campaign in the Asia Cup at the Allama Iqbal International Airport, Bajwa said that the team is going through a reconstruction phase and would certainly bounce back strongly in the coming events.

He defended the team's performance saying Pakistan played exceptionally well in the Asia cup except in the semi-final. Pakistan needed to win the tournament in order to qualify for the 2014 World Cup.

Asked whether he would resign after Pakistan was unable to qualify for the marquee event, the PHF secretary said that the body is a democratic set up and that all such decisions would be taken with consensus by the executive board.

Bajwa added PHF executive board would hold a meeting next week to review the the situation.

Commenting on the deteriorating situation of hockey in the country Bajwa said in-fighting between Olympians has caused damage to the sport in the country.

Out due to a solitary mistake

Pakistan team coach Akhtar Rasool said they had worked hard and it is reflected from the fact that Pakistan scored 27 goals while conceded only four goals in the tournament. He added that Pakistan went down by a solitary mistake in the semi final which was sheer bad luck.