Pakistan hockey team awaits visa approval ahead of European tour

Pakistan national hockey team’s departure to the Netherlands was further delayed due to visa issues.

Pakistan team was supposed to play a match against the Dutch national side today but that won’t be possible now.

According to the sources, Pakistan’s Hockey Federation (PHF) officials have expressed hope that the players will get visas in the evening today. After which, the team will leave for the Netherlands on Wednesday or Thursday.

Due to the delay in the departure, the match scheduled between Pakistan and the Netherlands was also postponed and now this match will be played only after Pakistan’s team’s arrival.

Pakistan’s national team will be doing training for 2-3 days during which players from various academies and clubs in the Netherlands will be invited.

According to the sources, the national hockey team will leave for Poland from the Netherlands, where the FIH Nations Cup will take place from Friday, May 31. The Pakistani squad will qualify for the Pro League if their team ends up winning the Nations Cup event.

Earlier, in a recent talk with The News, Pakistan head coach Roelant Oltmans said that the cup is very important for the Pakistan hockey team.

“Winning the Nations Cup is all the more important from Pakistan’s perspective as the title will take the team into the FIH Pro League next season. I have proposed a ten-day training camp in Holland ahead of the Nations Cup to acclimatise well for the event,” he said.

Austria, Canada, France, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa will join hosts Poland in competing at the men’s Nation’s Cup. The teams have been split into two Pools of 5 and 4 teams. Pakistan are in Pool B with Canada, France and Malaysia. 

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