PHF to launch Qalandars Hockey Series in February 2023
By Syed Intikhab Ali
KARACHI: Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has taken a big step to revive the
national game after rolling out a prosed 5-match series between the two
traditional rivals – Karachi and Lahore – in February 2023, named Qalandars
Hockey series in collaboration with PSL franchise Lahore Qalandars, ‘The News’
has learnt on Thursday.
This decision was taken in order to revive the sorry state of hockey, and, the 5match series will be helpful in reviving the national game keeping in mind the
importance and intensity of Karachi-Lahore rivalry.
Sources said that Punjab Minister for Sports Youth Affairs Malik Taimoor Masood
has played a key role in making the Karachi-Lahore series a possibility after
assuring all the possible support to PHF and Lahore Qalandars.
“The Punjab government will put its best effort in reviving the game which has
brought so much glories to our country,” the minister assured.
Informed also sources said that PHF Secretary Haider Hussain met LQ’s CEO Atif
Rana, head coach and director Aaqib Javed and COO Sameen Rana in Lahore and
discussed various possibilities needed to be adopted in boosting the national
game.
It is pertinent to mention that an open-trials will also be held at Karachi Sports
Complex (KHA) on January 14th where players from cities other than Karachi and
Lahore will be able to participate. After that, the PHF national selection
committee will select 18 players for each teams.
Sources further informed that talks in this regard between PHF Secretary and LQ
CEO has been finalized and details for the overall arrangements of the Qalandars
Hockey series will be revealed in comings days.
In terms of scheduling and dates of the series, the sources added the two
matches will take place at the Abdul Sattar Edhi Hockey Stadium on February 1 -2
in Karachi. And the next three games will take place in Lahore from February 4-6.
The series will also have lucrative cash prizes for the winning team and the topperformers. And among the other top arrangements, the series will see the
involvement of Pakistan’s star pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf as
mentors. Shaheen will be Karachi’s mentor, while Lahore will be mentored by
Haris Rauf.
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