KARACHI, June 14: Pakistan junior hockey team centre-forward Mahmood Ali suffered a hairline fracture of his ring finger of the left hand and would be out of action for two weeks.

Talented Mahmood, who had toured Egypt and Malaysia with Pakistan junior string, suffered the injury during the ongoing junior camp set-up at Pakistan Steel Township in preparations for Pakistan junior team’s Europe tour starting from July 22.

Mahmood scored five goals in as many games in four-nation junior hockey event in KualaLumpur (Malaysia) including three against South Korea in the play-off earlier this years.

Full-back Tariq Yameen is also troubled by shoulder problem which he developed during senior team’s training camp in Lahore after stick struck on the shoulder.

Team Dr Ahmed Abbas and Manager Col (Retd) Abdul Rauf took both the players first to Combined Military Hospital Malir Cantt and later to Jinnah Hospital.

After check-up doctors said Tariq Yameen will be fit within a couple of days while Mahmood can not practice for two weeks. However Mahmood will take part in physical training of the team. Mahmood is likely to appearing in the junior trials.

In the meantime junior camp was gearing up on the eve of shortlisting the boys from 62 to 46-45 on June 17.

Team’s manager cum camp commandant Col (Retd) Abdul Rauf said on Saturday that a senior member of the selection committee Hasan Sardar visited the camp and watched the boys in action during practice session.

Olympian Hasan will again see the boy’s performance in the training camp before reducing the number of players to either 45 or 46.

Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) will be holding two-day trials at Steel Township Astroturf from June 27 to pick the 20- member junior squad for the trips to Spain/Netherlands and Poland.

Junior team coach Asif Bajwa with assistance from former international Jan Muhammad are supervising the training session. Irshad Haider is the trainer of the team.—APP