The proposed hockey series between old foes and oft-crowned Olympic champions Pakistan and India will be played in Australia in June.
An official of the Pakistan Hockey Federation said the series, which was to be staged before the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, in Malaysia, from March 17-20, is being relocated as the Indian Hockey Federation had indicated that its national team would not be available before the Azlan Shah tournament.
Pakistan is scheduled to play two four-nation tournaments in Australia, involving Germany, India, and the hosts. The first will be at Perth, from May 28 to June 4, and the second at Sydney, from June 8-13.
"We are considering the option to play at Perth before or after the four-nation tournament," Brig Musarratullah Khan told The News.
"The IHF has communicated to the PHF that their team cannot take part in the series at Kuala Lumpur due to shortage of time and asked us to explore another opportunity for the series at another time and venue.
"We have now chosen Australia for the competition and, hopefully, all the details will be finalised in March by both the hockey federations," he added.
He dismissed talk that the FIH [the international body] is considering providing financial assistance to the PHF because it shifted the 2001 Champions Trophy from Pakistan to Holland.
"This chapter is closed forever; no such proposal is under consideration," he said.
"The FIH had taken a decision expressing its inability to financially compensate Pakistan for the shifting of the tournament," he added.
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