Pakistan hockey tour to Malaysia cancelled

Pakistan Hockey Federation wanted international matches due to Irfan's match ban.

KARACHI: Pakistan hockey team’s tour to Malaysia has been cancelled, confirmed the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Secretary Asif Bajwa after the hosts were not ready to play enough number of matches with the Greenshirts. The PHF and the Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) had earlier agreed to schedule international matches during the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. According to the PHF, Pakistan would have played the hosts in Kuala Lumpur on November 7 and 8. However, the MHF later informed that wanted just one game between the two sides.

“We thought it will be a great opportunity to test our team in Malaysia before the Asian Games,” Bajwa told The Express Tribune. “Maybe they are intimidated by us because the teams can have a possible encounter in the tournament’s knock out stages.

“But sending the team to Malaysia for only one match is not feasible. We are instead trying to have a practice match with Malaysia in China before the Asian Games’ hockey event starts.”

Talking about the significance of the Malaysian tour, Bajwa said that the tour would have been good exposure for the team. The secretary however, said that the main purpose of organising the tour was to do away with the International Hockey Federation’s (FIH) three-match ban on Mohammad Irfan that was imposed during Pakistan’s last match in the Commonwealth Games against South Africa.

Bajwa added that the PHF was hoping to play three internationals ahead of the Asian Games, where Irfan could serve his ban.

“If we had gotten to play those two matches against Malaysia, Pakistan would have to play only one match with a 15-member squad, therefore the cancellation is disappointing,” said Bajwa. Meanwhile, the PHF has also appealed to the FIH to lift the ban citing the decision on Irfan as harsh.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 31^st, 2010.