Indian hockey legend Zafar Iqbal on Thursday pitched for Pakistan players to be allowed to compete in the Hockey India League (HIL), which is being revived after a gap of seven years.
HIL is set to return in a new avatar next year or in early 2025 with Hockey India setting its sights on reviving the franchise-based league. The HIL, which was suspended in 2017 due to financial issues and non-cooperation from team owners, is expected to be held after the Paris Olympics and will feature an event for the women as well for the first time.
Zafar, a member of the 1980 Moscow Olympics gold medal-winning hockey team, said on the sidelines of the unveiling of the glittering Asian Champions Trophy (August 3-12 in Chennai) at the Major Dhyanchand National Stadium that there was also no harm in reviving the India-Pakistan hockey Test series, which was held on a home-and-away basis till 2006.
