ISLAMABAD, June 10: A key official of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) on Tuesday declared that they were keeping all their options open in the wake of national team’s bitterly disappointing performance in Australia.

“We will wait for the team manager to submit his tour report, discuss the matter with him and the coach and analyse the videos before taking any major decision,” Brig Musarratullah Khan, the PHF secretary told Dawn.

Pakistan, under manager Shahnaz Shaikh lost back to back four-team tournaments in Perth and Sydney this month finishing with a wooden spoon in both. The defeat was made all the more bitter as archrivals India won the second tournament last week while being runner-up in the first.

Musarrat pointed out that although the PHF would not make any hasty decisions, he felt that something seriously went wrong. “Losing 1-2 to India one day and then drawing 4-4 with them only goes to show that there were hiccups somewhere which will have to be removed quickly with the Champions Trophy coming up.”

“The forward line seemed to lack thrust and there were flaws in some other areas. But then again to rectify them, we will have to analyse each and everything after getting all the input.”

He agreed that the PHF now faced a difficult situation as the Champions Trophy in Holland was just two months away but however did not say clearly if it required a change in team management. “We will be analysing every little detail and then take action accordingly.”

Pakistan were hoping to gain a psychological advantage going into the Champions Trophy by beating Australia and India in the two tournaments Down Under that also featured an Australian A side. But things took such a turn that a team which won the Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia only two months ago fared so poorly.

After the Azlan Shah win it was thought that the side would build on their success and peak in time for the Champions Trophy, a title Pakistan have not won since 1994. However now the situation for the managers seems quite grim.

Meanwhile, the PHF has agreed to host China for a number of matches against the Pakistan junior and senior strings next month. “The Chinese were keen on touring and we told them that since this tour of theirs was not budgeted, they would have to pay for their own boarding and lodging while their other expenses would be borne by us,” Musarrat said.

China will be playing matches in Pakistan between July 8 and 24. They have also been invited to attend a nine-nation tournament in Lahore this December.

Opinion

Editorial

A hasty retreat
Updated 28 Nov, 2024

A hasty retreat

Govt should not extend its campaign of violence against PTI and its leaders, thinking it now has the upper hand. Enough is enough.
Lebanon truce
28 Nov, 2024

Lebanon truce

WILL it hold? That is the question many in the Middle East and beyond will be asking after a 60-day ceasefire ...
MDR anomaly removed
28 Nov, 2024

MDR anomaly removed

THE State Bank’s decision to remove its minimum deposit rate requirement for conventional banks on deposits from...
Islamabad march
Updated 27 Nov, 2024

Islamabad march

WITH emotions running high, chaos closes in. As these words were being written, rumours and speculation were all...
Policing the internet
27 Nov, 2024

Policing the internet

IT is chilling to witness how Pakistan — a nation that embraced the freedoms of modern democracy, and the tech ...
Correcting sports priorities
27 Nov, 2024

Correcting sports priorities

IT has been a lingering battle that has cast a shadow over sports in Pakistan: who are the national sports...