February 17, 2003	Monday	Zul Hijjah 15, 1423

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KARACHI, Feb 16: The 33 probables still wait for their chief coach who failed to join the national hockey training camp for the second day running here at Steel Mills Sports Complex.

Shahnaz Sheikh, who was expected to join the camp on Sunday, is still in Rawalpindi, as he is attending to his ailing father-in-law.

“I will consult a doctor for a check-up of my father-in-law today and will be in Karachi tomorrow (Monday) by noon,” the coach said from Rawalpindi on Sunday.

The camp, being supervised by Shahnaz’s deputy Tahir Zaman, has been set up for the six-nation March 22-31 Azlan Shah Cup to be hosted by the Malaysian city of Ipoh.

While Shahnaz failed to come to Karachi, Waseem Ahmad, who was injured during the national championship, reported. Rehan Butt, who also injured his thigh during the premier contest, and Jawaid Iqbal were likely to join the camp by late Sunday night.

According to team manager, Col Shahid Jaffery (retd), Asim Chohan has submitted his medical certificate to the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF).

“Asim is unfit and has given a medical certificate. He has been advised a five-day rest and is expected here after three days,” the manager said.

However, the manager said there was no intimation about Ghazanfar Ali, who is currently in England. The midfielder has been included in the list of 37 probables although he neither played the final round of the championship nor appeared in the trials.

But Hassan Sardar, a member of the selection committee, was adamant Ghazanfar would be considered if he reported for the camp since he was a budding player.

The former captain, who has taken up the job as selector for the first time, could not give a satisfactory reply when asked about the reason of Mohammad Sarwar’s omission.

“Since Sarwar was the captain, it would have been a disgrace had he been included in the training camp and then axed after the final trials. We should show some respect to a skipper,” he said.

Hassan, however, was lost for words when asked do the other camp trainees who would be omitted from the squad after the final trials were not respectable?

Asked if Sarwar’s performance during the national championship was not up to mark, why an undisciplined player like Mohammad Saqlain, had been called up for the training camp and that too despite his below-par play.

When pointed out towards the misconduct by Saqlain in a match against PIA during the main round of the national championship recently, Hassan, who used to visit the venue daily, replied “I am not aware of any such incident.”