ISLAMABAD - Pakistan junior hockey team finished fourth in the six-nation Sultan Johar U-21 Men’s Hockey Cup in Johar Baru (Malaysia) after losing to Australia 3-2 in the third placed match on Sunday.
This was Pakistan’s second loss to Australia as they were earlier beaten 5-1 in the pool match. Juniors scored only one win in the event as they beat Malaysia 2-0. Australia and Germany beat Pakistan while New Zealand and India hold Green Shirts. Pakistan got 5 points and scored 8 goals while conceded 14 goals.
Pakistan Hockey Federation is tall claims but the reality is very bitter as during the entire tenure of Qasim Zia and Asif Bajwa, hockey team just managed to win one title, the Asia Cup, after two decades and spent millions of rupees on foreign trips and coaches.
Prime Minister of Pakistan, patron of PHF, should have taken notice much earlier of the team’s consistent decline in the world rankings ever since Qasim Zia and co took the helm of affairs at the federation.
But two prime ministers don’t have the time to look into the sorry state of PHF affairs. Hockey is the national game of the country but despite getting huge grants PHF has miserably failed to deliver.
Pakistan should have at least lifted the Sultan Johar Cup as there were hardly any tough rival. Rana Mujahid and company once again disappointed the nation with their poor show. Qasim Zia must now tender resignation along with Secretary Asif Bajwa to save hockey from further destruction.
Younger generation has already stop taking interest in the national game and further sticking with the same management would further aggravate the already pathetic condition as players would be hard to find.