Pakistan agree to play Asia Cup, groupings revised

Chennai, July 26 (UNI) Pakistan will add to the strong field as they confirmed their participation in the seventh Asia Cup Hockey Championship for men to be held here from September 1-9.

Announcing this at a press conference here today, Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) Secretary K Jothi Kumaran, who also released the revised groupings for the competition, said Pakistan had initially expressed their inability to make it contending that they had a busy international schedule ahead including preparation for the Beijing Olympic Games next year.

He said suddenly Pakistan expressed their willingness to participate in the tournament, following which he informed the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF), which agreed to accommodate Paksitan.

The FIH then revised the groupings, he said, adding the groupings were done on the basis of FIH world rankings.

The groupings are: Pool A -- Pakistan, Japan, Malaysia, Hong Kong-China, Singapore.

Pool B -- Korea, India, China, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Thailand He said most of the matches would be played at the Astro Turf stadium and some at the YMCA Hockey ground.

India won the title, when the event was last held in Kuala Lampur in Malaysia in 2003.

UNI