Pakistan Hockey Federation invites Narinder Batra for World XI matches

Karachi: The Pakistan Hockey Federation has extended an invitation to FIH Narinder Batra to visit Karachi and Lahore next month for the matches to be played by a visiting international eleven side.

"We are inviting heads of different hockey federations and we have extended a special invitation to the FIH President, Narinder Batra to visit Pakistan," PHF secretary, Shahbaz Ahmed told PTI.

The International CI is due to reach Karachi on January 18 and play one match against Pakistan eleven the next day and than one more match on January 21st in Lahore.

To create hype and symbolise the visit by the international eleven side, the PHF has also invited several hockey legends from different countries for the matches.

"If the FIH President comes it will give a big boost to hockey in Pakistan because he belongs to India and headed Hockey India as well," Shahbaz said.

PHF President, Brig (retd) Khalid Khokar said PHF also wanted to invite former Indian greats, Dhanraj Pillay and Pargat Singh as special guests for the matches but have been told to contact the two directly.

"I don't know whether we will now have enough time to get visas and clearance for Pillay and Pargat but we want to show the world via the International XI matches that Pakistan is a safe and secure country for international teams to visit the country for matches."

Pakistan hockey at present is in the doldrums and languishes at number 13th in the FIH world rankings.