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LAHORE: Pakistan’s national selection committee launched the first phase of senior team trials at the Defense Arena’s Manzoor-ul-Hassan Academy on Wednesday as the country looks to rebuild its squad for the upcoming international fixtures.
A total of 99 players from various cities across Punjab reported on the opening day to showcase their skills before a newly appointed panel of legendary Olympians. The trials are a critical step in the Pakistan Hockey Federation’s (PHF) latest effort to identify fresh talent capable of restoring the nation’s former glory in the sport.
The selection process was overseen by a high-powered committee led by Chairman and Olympian Samiullah Khan, popularly known as the “Flying Horse.”
He was joined by fellow committee members and Olympians Nasir Ali, Atif Bashir, and M. Khalid.
The recently appointed head coach of the senior team Manzoor-ul-Hassan and junior team head coach, Ayaz Mahmood, were also present to evaluate the tactical and physical fitness of the candidates.
“Our objective is to bring the best possible talent to the forefront,” a member of the selection committee stated. “We are looking to assemble a robust squad that can compete at the highest international level.”
The first day consisted of five rigorous sessions, during which players were divided into teams for match-play evaluations. This allowed selectors to assess game awareness, ball control, and stamina under competitive conditions.
The second phase of the trials is scheduled to continue on Thursday at the same venue. The PHF has directed all participating athletes to report by 12:15 PM local time to ensure a prompt start to the final evaluation sessions
