Heads roll after hockey shame

Published March 12, 2010

NEW DELHI, March 11 Pakistan on Thursday sacked its manager, coach and selectors, while the entire squad offered to retire, after the four-time champions finished last at the men's field hockey World Cup.

Scott Tupper scored a golden goal two minutes before the end of extra-time to hand Canada a 3-2 win over Pakistan in the play-off for the last two positions in the 12-nation tournament.

Pakistan, who won the World Cup in 1971, '78, '82 and '94, had finished 11th in the '86 edition in London. They were sixth in the last tournament in Germany in 2006.

Pakistan return home with five defeats and just one win in the six matches they played at the Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi.

The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) reacted to the defeat by sacking the team management, including manager Asif Bajwa and coach Shahid Ali Khan, and the selection committee.

PHF chief Qasim Zia said in a statement that an inquiry into the team's performance would be held after it returned home.

In a separate statement, the PHF's media manager Shahzad Malik said the entire 18-man squad had offered to “retire from international hockey.”—AFP

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