NEW DELHI The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has dismissed reports of a pullout from the World Cup, beginning February 28 in New Delhi, as a reaction to the Indian Premier League (IPL) slight to Pakistani cricketers at its auction on Tuesday.
“We are playing in the World Cup. There won't be any repercussion as far as hockey goes. IPL and World Cup are different entities. We will be coming as the national team and not as individual players like in the IPL,” a PHF spokesman said.
The greenshirts will take on hosts India in the Cup opener on February 28. “PHF is committed to the participation in World Cup which is a big international event unlike cricket's IPL,” he said.
“Our government is closely following the developments after the IPL auction. But it certainly won't jeopardise the hockey team's visit to India.”
PHF's clarification comes after calls by former cricketers and various politicians to withdraw the national hockey team from the mega event and to sever sporting ties with India for the time being.
PHF has also announced the final training camp for the World Cup which will begin in Lahore from January 25. As part of the preparations for it the Pakistani team is in Qatar competing in a two test match series against Holland of which the first one ended in a 4-4 draw.
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