Lahore Qalandars speed up preparations for hockey league

Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 8 champions Lahore Qalandars are now focused to promote hockey in Pakistan. 

After title-winning campaign, Qalandars' management has now raced efforts to host the first-ever Professional Hockey League (PHF). 

Qalandars' owners Atif Rana and Sameen Rana alongside director Aaqib Javed met Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) general secretary Haider Hussain and former Olympian Shahbaz Sr in their office.

During their meeting, the hockey league was on top of the discussion. Qalandars' high-ups shared their plan of introducing a player development program in hockey. 

The champion team owners want to work for hockey in the way they did for cricket. After seven years of hard work, Qalandars bagged back-to-back PSL titles. They became the first-ever team in PSL's history to defend their title. 

Legendary hockey player Shahbaz praised Qalandars' initiative to lift hockey. "It's heartening to see someone taking an initiative for hockey," he said. "They can do it because they have built their reputation in cricket. People know them and trust them. I think if they work with honesty, they will be able to grow hockey just like they did in cricket," he added. 

"Hockey is not famous among our youth. We need to promote it in a way that attracts our youngsters. Only then we will be able to revive the national game," he concluded. 

Qalandars took an initiative to hold open trials in Karachi and Lahore.

During PSL 8, Shaheen Afridi and the company reached Karachi Hockey Association (KHA) ground to watch the trials. Hundreds of kids appeared in the trials at KHA. Trials in Lahore will take place later on.

After the trials, Qalandars will host a hockey series between the teams of Karachi and Lahore. Shaheen will be the ambassador of Karachi whereas Haris Rauf will be in the camp of Lahore. 

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