Hockey: Pakistan Army team visits Sri Lanka

The Pakistan Army Hockey team, as part of the ongoing Army-to-Army Sports exchange programme, arrived in Sri Lanka last Sunday (4) to participate in four friendly matches with their counterparts in the Sri Lankan Army. 

The Pakistan Army team won the first match against Sri Lankan Army team which was played on Tuesday (6) at Astro Turf ground in Torrington, Colombo. 

Two more games followed on Wednesday (7) and Friday (9) while the final match was played on Saturday (10). 

All matches were played at the Astro Turf in Torrington. 

After their first game, which ended in a victory, the 20-member Pakistan Army Hockey team visited the High Commission of Pakistan in Colombo. 

The High Commissioner of Pakistan in Sri Lanka, Maj. Gen. (R) Syed Shakeel Hussain, while talking to the team members, stated that Pakistan and Sri Lanka are bonded together in a wide range of relations one of which is sports activities and have been supporting each other’s teams in various sporting events. 

Hockey is the national game of Pakistan and Pakistan Hockey team held almost every major title, he added.

He appreciated the Pakistani Army Hockey team for their good performance. 

He emphasized the need that the regular visits of such kind would not only help in grooming young players but also strengthening relations between both countries.

On the occasion, the Manager of Pakistan Army Hockey Team, Lt. Col. Sadaf Akram apprised the High Commissioner about warm welcome and hospitality extended by the Sri Lankan Army to Pakistani Army Hockey team which was highly appreciated by the High Commissioner.