LAHORE, Jan 19 Former Pakistan hockey captain Sohail Abbas has decided to come out of retirement and announced that he is available to represent Pakistan in international hockey.

“I am available for Pakistan and I am ready to be a part of the team because I am fully fit and representing Pakistan again will be a big honour for which I am looking forward to,” he told the media on Monday after a meeting with Pakistan Hockey Federation Secretary Asif Bajwa.

He termed his meeting as “very productive” saying “It will produce good results for the cause of hockey in Pakistan”.

The meeting was a part of PHF efforts to seek guidance and support from former stalwarts of the game to lift hockey out of its present crisis.

PHF is hoping to select those former players who are maintaining peak fitness and form by playing in European league.

Meanwhile, Asif Bajwa held out an assurance to senior players that all possible help would be extended to players to solve their problems and in return they (the players) would have to prove their match-fitness and availability for any major competition at least three weeks in advance.

Speaking to the media, after a brief meeting with penalty-corner specialist Sohail Abbas on Monday, Bajwa stated that he had made it specifically clear to him (Sohail) that like other senior players, he would also have to prove his match-fitness to get a place in the national side.

“Though Sohail expressed his desire of playing for Pakistan, he cited some binding clauses in his contract with a Dutch club, for which he is presently playing league hockey, which creates some hurdles to confirm his all-time availability for the national side,” Bajwa added.

“ The PHF will help out senior players in order to make them available for the national team,” Bajwa said indicating the senior players may be exempted from attending the training camps.

The secretary said the players, besides proving their fitness, would have to ensure their availability three weeks before the major FIH tournaments.

Sohail, has represented Pakistan in two Olympics and World Cups each and six Champions Trophy. He also holds the world record of scoring the highest number of goals (274) in 224 international matches. He had announced his retirement from international hockey after the Champions Trophy 2004 in Lahore along with Waseem Ahmad. However, after the meeting he expressed his availability for Pakistan.

Last week, Waseem also met the PHF secretary to inform him about his availability for the national team.