Senior team trials to be held in Peshawar today, steps underway to revive hockey at grassroots level, Chief Selector
Sports Reporter
PESHAWAR: Chief Selector of the Pakistan national hockey team Samiullah Khan, has said that modern techniques are being utilized to form strong and balanced squads across all formats. He added that talented players are being selected from across the country while practical steps are also being taken to promote hockey at the grassroots level. In this regard open trials for the senior team are being held in Peshawar.
He expressed these views while speaking to the media during his visit to China Window in Peshawar. On the occasion, members of the national selection committee of the Pakistan Hockey Federation were also present, including Olympians Nasir Ali, Naeem Akhtar, Ayaz Mahmood, Atif Bashir, Shakeel Abbasi, Kashif Jawad, Muhammad Khalid, Rahim Khan, along with former international players Shafqatullah and Abdul Rauf, and former world squash champion Qamar Zaman.
The Chief Selector said that if the national team succeeds in a major international event, it could pave the way for the revival of international hockey in Pakistan. He added that concrete efforts are underway to strengthen hockey at the grassroots level and improve the country’s global ranking, emphasizing that consistent hard work can help Pakistan regain its lost glory in the sport.
Samiullah Khan further stated that Pakistan hockey is currently facing several challenges, the most significant being a lack of sponsorship. He noted that with adequate financial resources and sponsors, significant improvement can be achieved. He also highlighted players’ financial difficulties as a major factor affecting performance and stressed that providing employment opportunities would allow players to focus better on the game.
He said that a committee will be formed to scrutinize club-level structures while efforts are being made to align the hockey system with modern requirements. He added that the immediate target for the national team is to reach the final of the Asia Cup while improved performance is also expected in the Hockey World Cup.
Responding to a question, he said that Pakistan and China share strong brotherly relations, which have further strengthened under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and both countries continue to support each other.
Edited by Sumayyah Khan
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