The 59th National Hockey Championship will begin here at Hockey Club of Pakistan from Thursday. The teams competing are defending champions Wapda, SSGC, Port Qasim Authority, NBP, HBL, PAF, Navy, Army, PIA and PHF Academy. The championship will conclude on Feb 11. The event will be played on league basis.
Apart from players in the national camp and in the national team, no other player over 30 years of age will be allowed to participate. However, the federation has made one exception for seasoned player Rehan Butt, who is neither a part of national camp or national squad, but will participate in the event. “The national team management wants us to allow Rehan Butt to participate in the event,” Rana Mujahid, associate secretary PHF told reporters at HCP. He said that the selectors wanted to judge his form and fitness ahead of the Olympics. Rana also said that Pakistan’s national coach Michel Van Den Heuvel would also be here for the championship and also for the national camp.
