By Alam Zeb Safi
LAHORE: Pakistan’s national hockey squad members reported for training in Lahore on Monday, beginning a month-long intensive camp aimed at reviving the country’s fortunes ahead of the FIH Pro League in Europe next month.
Following recommendations from the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) selection committee and head coach Manzoor-ul-Hassan, the federation summoned a large pool of players to the National Hockey Stadium to prepare for fixtures in Belgium and England scheduled for June 13-28.
The PHF confirmed that players and officials reported to the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) Coaching Centre by the 5pm deadline on Monday. The training camp is slated to run until June 6.
The squad includes a blend of experience and youth, with the PHF instructing various government departments and sports boards to release players on “on-duty” status through the end of June.
Key selections include goalkeepers Muneeb-ur-Rehman and Ali Raza, while the defensive unit is bolstered by veteran internationals Abu Bakar Mahmood and Ammad Butt. The midfield will be led by Moin Shakeel, while the goal-scoring burden falls on strikers Hanan Shahid and Rana Waheed Ashraf.
“The focus of this camp is to ensure the players are physically and tactically prepared for the high-intensity environment of the Pro League,” the PHF said in a statement.
The management team is led by head coach and Olympian Manzoor-ul-Hassan, supported by coaches Khawaja Muhammad Junaid and Shakeel Abbasi, and video analyst Sultan Ashraf.
Pakistan, historically a powerhouse in field hockey with four World Cup titles, is seeking to climb back up the international rankings after a period of decline and administrative restructuring.
Probables:
Goalkeepers: Muneeb-ur-Rehman (WAPDA), Ali Raza (Navy), Waqar (WAPDA), Abdullah Ishtiaq Khan (MPCL), Bilal Khan (Quetta), Aoun Muhammad (Lahore), Faizan Janjua (Customs), Owais Rashid (Lahore), and Zubair (Army).
Defenders: Sufyan Khan (Customs), Ammad Butt (NBP), Abu Bakar Mahmood (NBP), Arbaz (MPCL), Nadeem Khan (MPCL), Abdul Manan (PAF), Hammad Anjum (WAPDA), M. Abdullah (MPCL), Arshad Liaquat (MPCL), M. Zain (Customs), Ali Hamza (Navy), Yasir Islam (Bannu), Babar Sadat (Karachi), Saad Shafiq (Lahore), Sufyan (Army), M. Hammad (DHA), Basharat Ali (Navy), Samiullah (Customs), Umar Mustafa (WAPDA), Imad (Army), Adnan (Karachi), Arbaz Ayaz (Karachi), Yasir Ali (Peshawar), M. Amjad (Lahore), and Ahsan Nadeem (Lahore).
Midfielders: Moin Shakeel (WAPDA), Ghazanfar Ali (MPCL), Zakariya Hayat (Navy), Umair Sattar (MPCL), Salman Razzaq (WAPDA), Junaid Manzoor (NBP), and M. Imad (Customs).
