Waseem Ahmed

New Delhi: World?s leading goal-scorer and ace drag-flicker Sohail Abbas and former Pakistan skipper Waseem Ahmed have confirmed their participation in the Premier Hockey League, adding glamour to the much-awaited competition.

The presence of these two players is likely to provide further boost to the PHL, which is set to begin in Hyderabad on January 13.

?Today I got a call from Pakistan Hockey Federation secretary Musratullah Khan who confirmed that the two players would be taking part in the PHL,? IHF secretary K. Jyothikumaran said from Hyderabad.

Incidentally, both Abbas and Waseem had announced their retirement from international hockey soon after the Champions Trophy in Lahore earlier this month.

Both had, in fact, made it clear that they would be playing in the Dutch League this year before considering participating in the PHL from next season.

?I don?t know what was their arrangements are with the Dutch League. But this is (their taking part in PHL) a very good gesture by the PHF,? Jyothikumaran said.

Jyothikumaran, however, declined to name the teams that Abbas and Waseem would represent in the month-long competition. ?We are yet to decide on their teams. We have also not yet decided about the final list of foreign players. But we are hopeful of coming out with the list in a couple of days.?

Earlier Pakistan had allowed eight players ? Ahmad Alam, Zeeshan Asrhaf, Muhammad Saqlain, Muhammad Sawar, Ali Raza, Dilawar Hussain, Kashif Jawwad and Mudassar Ali Khan ? to feature in the PHL.

New PHF chief

Meanwhile, in a sudden development, Aziz Khan has stepped down as the president of the PHF and has been replaced by Tariq Kirmani, head of Pakistan State Oil, adds a report from Islamabad.

Aziz resigned from the post saying it was ?unfair? to continue following his retirement from the country?s army. ?I took charge of the PHF as an army officer and after retiring from the institution it is not fair to continue.

?Therefore, I have tendered my resignation which has been accepted by the Prime Minister,? Aziz told reporters.

?The Prime Minister rang me up in the morning and informed that Tariq Kirmani will be the new PHF president.?

Aziz, who was appointed by President Pervez Musharraf in 2000, said he had informed Musharraf of his decision after retiring from army in October. ?I was instructed to continue till Lahore?s Champions Trophy in December and I have completed my task,? he said.

Pakistan failed to win a single major title during Aziz?s tenure and finished in third place in the recently-concluded Champions Trophy under foreign coach Roelant Oltmans, who was hired nine months ahead of the six-nation tournament.

Aziz said he regretted that Pakistan could not end the victory drought during his tenure.

?I was hopeful that Pakistan will play the final at the Athens Olympic Games and I wished to go there but it did not happen,? he was quoted as saying in local daily The Dawn.

?The team has been showing complacency in crucial matches, which was the main drawback, otherwise our team has emerged as a fine outfit.

?We lost a crunch match to Spain in the Olympics and again showed complacency against Spain and the Netherlands in the Champions Trophy because of which we did not play the final.?

Aziz, however, said the team was heading in the right direction. ?I hope the team will play the World Cup final in 2006.?

He also expressed satisfaction over the administration of the PHF during his tenure. ?When I took charge the PHF had to borrow from the PCB (Rs 20 million) to send its team to the Sydney Olympics in 2000. Now the PHF is financially strong and even hired foreign experts for one year. PHF successfully organised the Champions Trophy which is another achievement.?