Selection Committee names 18-man squad, Mohammad Abdullah to lead Green Shirts

Abdul Jabbar Faisal

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Under-18 hockey team will take on archrival India on May 27 in the Junior Asia Hockey Cup 2023, which will be played from May 23 to June 1 in Salalah, Oman, as the Selection Committee named the Pakistan squad led by Mohammad Abdullah.

Besides Pakistan, India, Japan, Thailand, Chinese Taipei, Korea, Malaysia, Oman, Bangladesh, and Uzbekistan will participate in the regional hockey fixture, as Pakistan will meet traditional opponents India on May 27, 2023.

The training camp of 28 players was going on at DHA Hockey Arena under the control of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), after the two-day trials, which were monitored by Chairman Selection Committee Olympian Kaleemullah Khan, Members Olympian Nasir Ali, Olympian Shakeel Abbasi, Laeeq Lashari.

Also, International Adnan Zakar, Olympian Zeeshan Ashraf, Assistant Coach Asif Ahmed Khan, Team Video Analyst Syed Ali Abbas and Physiotherapist Waqas Mahmood were present in the coaching panel, Junior Team Manager and Chief Coach Olympian Hanif Khan were present on this occasion.

Names of selected players:

Mohammad Abdullah (captain), Abdul Hanan Shahid (vice-captain), Ali Raza, Mohammad Faizan Janjua, Aqeel Ahmed, Arbaaz Ahmed, Ehtsham Aslam, Mohammad Sufyan Khan, Arbaz Ayaz, Mohammad Murtaza Yaqub, Arshad Liaquat, Ali Murtaza, Zakaria Hayat, Abdul Rehman, Abdul Qayyum. Dogar, Abdul Wahab, Basharat Ali, Bilal Akram

Reserves:

Bilal Khan (goalkeeper), Mohammad Bilal Aslam, Mohammad Baqir, Mohammad Nadeem Khan, Mohammad Adnan, Waqar Ali

Pool A:

Pakistan, India, Japan, Chinese Taipei, Thailand

Pool B:

Korea, Malaysia, Oman, Bangladesh, Uzbekistan.

Schedule of Pakistan Fixtures:

May 23, 2023: Pakistan vs Chinese Taipei

May 24, 2023: Pakistan vs Thailand

May 27, 2023: Pakistan vs India

May 29, 2023: Pakistan vs Japan