Doha: Hockey India President Mariamma Koshy (pictured) has hailed the decision to revive the hockey Test series with Pakistan.
Pakistan are scheduled to tour India for a five-Test series in March next year.
Koshy, who is in here for the Asian Champions Trophy, said with bilateral ties with Pakistan having opened up the hockey matches between the two countries was always on the cards.
“The Indian government has very supportive to Hockey India and we are happy that the process of hosting the India-Pakistan Test series has started. I met Pakistan ambassador in Qatar and he too expressed the wish that the two nations should play hockey matches on a regular basis,” Koshy said.
The modalities of both the series would be sorted out in a joint meeting between Hockey India secretary-general Narinder Batra and Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) chief Asif Bajwa in Lahore on December 29.
“I will also meet the PHF officials who are in here for the Asian Champions Trophy to exchange views and ideas,” Koshy added. The Indian hockey team is expected to tour Pakistan a month later in May for another five-Test series.
“On the invitation of PHF I am going to Pakistan for a two-day trip on December 29. During the meeting we will discuss the modalities of the resumption of bilateral hockey ties between the two nations,” Batra said.
“If everything goes as per plan Pakistan will tour India at the end of March next year for five Test matches. Then India will visit Pakistan in May for another five Tests,” he added.
Officials of Hockey India and PHF are expected to sign an agreement on the resumption of bilateral series during their meeting in Lahore on December 29.
The last Indo-Pak hockey Test series, with three matches in each country, was held in early 2006. Pakistan had won three matches, India had clinched one while two other games were drawn.
India and Pakistan recently clashed in the Champions Trophy in Australia where the four-time world Cup winners defeated India to win the bronze medal.
The two countries will resume their rival in Qatar during the ongoing Asian Champions Trophy when the two clash in a round-robin match of the six-team tournament tomorrow.
At the end of two rounds India, Pakistan and Malaysia are the only unbeaten teams in the tournament which culminates with the final on December 27.
Japan, China and Oman are the other teams taking part in the tournament which is hosted by Qatar Hockey Federation for the first time.
The Peninsula
