The Selection Committee of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has announced the 17 member squad for European tour after two days trials at National Hockey Stadium Lahore, Pakistan. Four players who are already playing league in Europe will be called for the tour by the team management according to the demand.
The Pakistan team will travel to France on 24 September and will play three matches against France on 27, 28 and 30 September.
The Pakistan team will then play two matches in Poland on 3 and 4 October and will then play three matches against Belgium on 6, 7 and 8 October.
The Chairman of the Selection Committee Olympian Hassan Sardar, along with other members of selection committee Rana Mujahid Ali, Khalid Bashir, Farhat Khan, Muhammad Shafiq and team manager Muhammad Asif Bajwa said in a press conference that the trials to select the 18 member team for World Cup Qualifiers will be again held before the tournament. League players Wasim Ahmad, Rehan Butt, Salman Akbar and Abbas Haider will also take part in the trials. Hassan Sardar said that Pakistan team has the ability to outclass any team and we are hopeful that Pakistan team will Inshallah qualify for the Hero Honda FIH World Cup.
The selected 17 players are Nasir Ahmad (Goal Keeper), Zeeshan Ashraf, Sohail Abbas and Muhammad Imran (Full Backs), Muhammad Irfan, Fareed Ahmad, Sajjad Anwar, Zeeshan Ali, Sabtain Raza and Muhammad Rashid (Halves), Waqas Sharif, Shafqat Rasool, Abdul Haseem Khan, Muhammad Zubair, Akhtar Ali, Shakeel Abbasi and Tariq Aziz (Forwards).
Source: PHF
