Indo-Pak hockey series likely next year

NEW DELHI: Hockey fans from India and Pakistan are likely to witness another contest between the arch-rivals in a home-and-away Test series next year.

Pakistan Hockey Federation President Tariq Kirmani will visit India early next month to discuss the details about the series with the top bosses of Indian Hockey Federation.

"Earlier PHF Secretary Akhtar-ul Islam was supposed to come. But, now their president Kirmani is coming to discuss the details about the India-Pakistan series, including the venues and dates of the matches," IHF Secretary K Jothikumaran said on Sunday.

"We will also discuss about the exchange of players in Premier Hockey League and Supreme Hockey League," he added.

The PHF reportedly wants the bi-lateral series to be held in March next year, just after the completion of PHL in January and February.

Earlier this year, both the countries played a six-match home-and-away Test series in which Pakistan won the Indian leg while India emerged as victors across the border.

The IHF has also decided to put off the proposed home series against Belgium in late November in order to have more training in the run-up to the Doha Asian Games in December.

"Since the turf laid at Doha is a new one, the coaches thought that the players should get more training. Luckily, we got the new turf at the SAIL premises in Rourkela," Jothikumaran said.

The IHF official said the national team for the Asian Games would be named in the second week of November.