Credit for SAF Games hockey win goes to PHF

Pakistan Whites team manager Shahid Pervaiz Bhandara on Wednesday said the credit of Pakistan ‘A’ victory in the recently held SAF games goes to the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) authorities who gave freehand to selectors for picking the team.

“The squad finalised by the selectors was balanced and the result achieved at the SAF Games demonstrated the PHF efforts for reviving the game,” Bhandara said while addressing a news conference here at the National Hockey Stadium.

He also thanked PHF patron-in-chief, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, for giving lucrative cash prizes to the players of victorious team.

The cash incentive, the manager noted, announced by the prime minister, would encourage the players to put up fine performance in coming events.

Bhandara said both coaches Mohammad Saqlain and Rehan Butt developed a wonderful rapport with the players and used them according to their plans.

“The age difference of the coaches and the players was marginal which helped us a lot,” he said, adding that he would urge upon the PHF management to continue with young but educated coaches at every level.

Meanwhile, Saqlain said as coach he was satisfied with the team’s performance which conceded only one goal in the SAF event.

(Source: Dawn News)