In a major blow to Pakistan’s hockey preparations, men’s head coach Tahir Zaman has refused to travel to Dhaka for the upcoming three-match series against Bangladesh, alleging interference by the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) in selection matters.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The national squad departed on Sunday without the celebrated Olympian, who reportedly objected to the last-minute inclusion of a player.Confirming the development, PHF secretary Rana Mujahid said that the dispute would be resolved soon, insisting that both the coach and the federation had “the best interest of the country’s hockey” in mind.“Tahir had taken the stand that latecomers to the training camp in Islamabad should not be included in the national squad,” Rana said.“Tahir objected to the inclusion of Rana Wahid and Hammad Anjum, both of whom joined the camp late due to their contracts with foreign leagues,” he added.
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According to Rana, Tahir decided at the last moment not to accompany the side to Dhaka, where the International Hockey Federation (FIH) has scheduled the series to give Pakistan another chance to qualify for the World Cup.The series was arranged after Pakistan failed to send its team to India for the Asia Cup earlier this year, which had served as a World Cup qualifier.A source close to Tahir said the former Olympian’s stance was rooted in principle.“He was clear that unless players are aware that the head coach has the final say, there is no way the team can show improvement,” the source said.Rana, however, confirmed that team manager Mohammad Usman would handle coaching duties in Dhaka. Rana added that if the issue with Tahir remains unresolved, the federation will explore the option of hiring foreign coaches.
