Korean hockey team arrives in Pakistan for first bilateral tour in nearly two decades
By Alam Zeb Safi
ISLAMABAD: South Korea’s men’s national hockey team arrived in Islamabad on Tuesday for a four-match international test series against Pakistan, marking the first official bilateral tour by a foreign hockey team to the country in almost 20 years.
The four-match series, approved by the International Hockey Federation (FIH), will be played in Islamabad on July 30, Aug. 2, Aug. 4 and Aug. 7, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) said in a statement.
The tour represents a significant moment for Pakistan, which has been working to restore its status as a host for international sporting events after years in which security concerns kept many foreign teams away.
Pakistan, once a dominant force in world hockey with four World Cup titles and three Olympic gold medals, has struggled on the international stage in recent years while also hosting few overseas teams for official bilateral series.
PHF President Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani described the Korean team’s visit as an important milestone in the revival of international hockey in Pakistan.
“This is a proud and memorable occasion for Pakistan hockey. After almost two decades, we are once again welcoming an international team to our home grounds,” Wani said in a statement.
“We extend a warm welcome to the Korean National Hockey Team and are confident that this series will strengthen the longstanding friendship between our two countries while promoting high-quality international hockey.”
The PHF said the series would provide valuable international competition for both teams and form part of Pakistan’s preparations for upcoming major international tournaments.
Pakistan has stepped up efforts in recent years to revive its hockey fortunes, seeking greater international exposure for its players after a prolonged decline from its traditional position among the sport’s leading nations.
The federation thanked the Government of Pakistan, security agencies and other stakeholders for facilitating the tour, saying their support had made the historic visit possible.
The PHF also called on fans to attend the matches in large numbers, describing the series as another step towards bringing regular international hockey back to Pakistan.
The return of an overseas team for an official bilateral series is expected to be closely watched by the international hockey community as Pakistan seeks to re-establish itself as a regular host of international competition.
