Cricket WC puts Indo-Pak hockey on hold

Keen to avoid a clash of dates with the Cricket World Cup in March and April, the India-Pakistan hockey Test series has been postponed.

Indian Hockey Federation Secretary K Jothikumaran said the bilateral series, earlier proposed to be held in March and April, was postponed in consultation with the Pakistan Hockey Federation.

"PHF Secretary Akhtarul Islam had called me yesterday to tell that it would be ideal to hold the series in the latter part of April (because of the World Cup). Also, during the inauguration of the Premier Hockey League, IHF President KPS Gill had said that it would be proper to organise the series after April 10," Jothikumaran said on Thursday.

Both the national federations had planned to hold the eight-match Test series on a home-and-away basis during March and April. Pakistan were to host the first four Tests in March followed by the second leg in India in April.

The World Cup would be held in the West Indies from March 13 to April 28.

Jothikumaran said the two national bodies would finalise dates for the series during the Asian Hockey Confederation Congress later this month.

"We (IHF and PHF officials) are meeting during the AHC Congress in Kuala Lumpur on January 13 and 14. There we will decide on the dates," he said.

However, the IHF secretary denied that the series was postponed due to lack of sponsors, many of whom are committed to the Cricket World Cup.