LAHORE – The German junior hockey team arrived in Lahore on Wednesday to play a four-match series against Pakistan after 29 years of long gap.
Olympian Khawaja Junaid, the focal person for the Prime Minister’s Youth Program Sports, PHF Secretary Rana Mujahid, Shahnaz Senior and other officials welcomed the foreign players at Allama Iqbal International Airport.
Under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s vision for the revival of the national sport, this is the first visit by a German national team to Pakistan in 29 years.
The matches between the junior teams of Pakistan and Germany would be played in Lahore on March 6, 8, and 11, while the final match will be held in Islamabad on March 13.
The Junior Hockey World Cup is scheduled to take place in India later this year.
Last year, the runners up of the Sultan Azlan Shah hockey tournament, Pakistan hockey team, was honoured at the Prime Minister House in Islamabad.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif along with Fed-eral Minister of Planning Ahsan Iqbal, Federal Minister for Information Attaullah Tarar, Pakistan hockey greats including Samiullah Khan, Islahuddin Shehbaz senior and others graced the event on Thursday.
Pakistan lost to Japan 4-1 on a penalty shootout after the match ended 2-2 in the normal time. The Japanese goalkeeper made two excellent saves in the shootout which ended the Green Shirts’ hopes of lifting the title.
“I pray that our hockey team continues to shine like they did in the tournament,” said Olympian Samiullah. “I’m thankful to the Prime Minister and Rana Mashood for honouring the hockey team.
“I think this encouragement would be morale booster for them. They should prove that they are good player and can win more games and trophies for Pakistan.”
Islahuddin was off the view that this achieve-ment was not an overnight job. “There is a percep-tion that they came out of nowhere and reached the final is wrong. They have been preparing for this tournament for a while,” said Samiullah.
Pakistan team’s center forward Abdur Rehman was eager to take revenge from Japan.
“This was my debut tournament in professional hockey,” he said. “Obviously, it is heartbreaking for everyone that we came so close. However, we are eagerly waiting to settle the score with Japan.”
As announced, the Premier distributed the prize of Rs1 million to each player of the hockey team. Apart from that, he also handed a Rs1 million cheque to javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem.
Kashmala Talat and her team, who qualified for the rifle shooting event at the Paris Olympics, were also rewarded with a Rs1 million as well. Usman Khan, who will be participating in the equestrian event in the Olympics was given £25,000.
PM Shehbaz in his address congratulated the entire hockey team and the staff for their remarkable achievement.
