A senior Pakistani hockey official has said that India has agreed to a three-match series, subject to clearance from New Delhi, in a bid to revive bilateral contests halted in the wake of the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
India had stalled bilateral sporting relations with Pakistan in the aftermath of the 2008 attacks on Mumbai, which New Delhi blamed on militants based in Pakistan, with a hockey series with three matches each in both countries being cancelled in April last year after the Indian government refused permission.
According to The Dawn, Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Rana Mujahid said in a statement that the series is likely to be played in March and April year in Karachi, Faisalabad and Lahore, adding that he spoke to his Indian counterpart Narinder Batra, who confirmed India's stance.
The report mentioned that Pakistan and India last played a bilateral hockey series in 2006- three matches in each country- with Pakistan winning three and losing one while the remaining two were drawn.
Pakistan and India, which are both struggling in hockey at an international level, should benefit from playing each other as they seek to counter European dominance in the game, the report added.
