World-XI to visit Pakistan from Jan 18
World-XI hockey team is all set to visit Pakistan to play two match series from 18th to 21st January against Men in Green.
World-XI team was scheduled to visit Pakistan from January 10 but the program is delayed for eight days due to availability of some star players, this was stated by Brig (r) Khalid Sajjad Khokar, president Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) with the secretory PHF Shahbaz Ahmed (sr) and Transmedia head Rao Umar Hashim in a press talk at National Hockey Stadium, Lahore.
President PHF said that World-XI will play 1 match each in Karachi and Lahore. World-XI based on hockey star from all over the world will arrive in Karachi and play its first match against the Pakistan side on 19th January at Karachi’s Abdul Sattar’s Edhi hockey stadium.
Big Khokar said that first match will be played under the flood lights in Karachi while the other match is scheduled to play in day light at National hockey stadium, Lahore on 21st January. After the first match, Hall of Fame will be organized by PHF to honor former local and foreigner greats of the game.
World-XI team will be having the players from Australia, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Argentina and Spain. Former Pakistani captain Sohail Abbas will be the part of World-XI team. The tour of World-XI is the initiative to bring international hockey back in Pakistan and to hold Pakistan Hockey League (PHL) in April next year. He said that we are hopeful that the arrival of World-XI in Pakistan will pave way open for the foreign players to take part in PHL.
The tour of World-XI will also help out PHF to enhance its organizational capabilities. Pakistan Hockey chief added. He said the government has already given the security clearance for World XI visit and International Hockey Federation (FIH) also sanctioned the tour.
World-XI players are:
- Rob Reckers, Roderick Weusthof, Philip Meulenbroek, Hidde Turksta from Netherlands
- Santi Freixa, Juan Escarre, Roc Oliva and David Alegre from Spain
- Grant Schubert from Australia
- Benni Wess and Justus Scharowsky from Germany
- Emmanuel Stockbroekx from Belgium
- Augustin Bugallo, Deigo Paz and Nahuel Salis from Argentina
