ISLAMABAD: National hockey team captain Zeeshan Ashraf has offered to retire from international hockey following Pakistans poor performance in the World Cup.

“I am ready to quit and accept responsibility for the team’s dismal show in the World Cup,” Zeeshan was quoted by Indian daily The Hindu.

The 12-team event saw four-time World Cup champions Pakistan finishing last in their pool with just one win in the group stage. They now face the ignominy of playing the 11th-12th position playoff against Canada.“I am ready to retire but it is the Pakistan Hockey Federation which will decide my future,” said the seasoned defender.

Pakistans hockey chiefs will meet in Lahore soon after the World Cup to take a decision on the future of the under-performing senior playersLINK.

LAHORE: Giving just three days, the Indian home ministry has allowed the Pakistan foreign office to send its security delegation to India on Feb 19 to check the security arrangements made for the World Cup hockey tournament, which is being held in New Delhi from Feb 29.

On the request of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), made a month back, the Pakistan foreign office had contacted the Indian home ministry, which responded on Tuesday, asking to send the delegation on Feb 19.

The Foreign Office, sources told Dawn, is busy in finalising a security delegation to visit India on the scheduled date.

Due to strained political relations between the two neighbouring countries the security fear had suspended various sports and cultural activities between them.

But as the World Cup is a mega event of the International Hockey Federation (FIH), Pakistan has preferred to send the team to participate in it, since bilateral sports activities are almost suspended.LINK