Shahnaz Sheikh, the newly appointed consultant of the hockey team, will not be able to accompany the squad to India for the Asian Hockey Champions Trophy.
The visa application process for Sheikh was initiated after the rest of the squad, creating an impediment that the team management and PHF could not resolve in time.
The national team is all set to depart for India tomorrow, and Shahnaz Sheikh was expected to shoulder the significant responsibilities of guiding the team.
The absence of Sheikh is likely to be a setback for the players who were looking forward to his expertise and experience to boost their performance in the tournament.
Earlier this month, the Pakistan Hockey Federation appointed the former Olympian as the consultant for the national team to revamp the performance of the players.
Last week, the Asian Hockey Federation released the schedule for the upcoming seventh edition of the Asian Champions Trophy, taking place in India next month.
According to the announced schedule, Pakistan will kick off its campaign against Malaysia in match two of the event on August 2 at Radhakrishnan Stadium in Chennai.
The Men in Green will face Korea on August 3, while they will play Japan and China on August 6 and 7, respectively, at the same venue.
The Green Shirts will square off against arch-rivals India in their last group-stage game, with the top four teams qualifying for the semi-finals.
