KARACHI, April 6: Pakistan on Tuesday announced an 18-member hockey squad for this month's Junior Asia Cup, including three up-and-coming but over-age players dumped for the same reason 17 months ago.
Imran Warsi, Adnan Zakir and Imran Khan, member of the national Asia Cup squad, were not considered by the then team management in September 2002, saying they were over-age. Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) on Sept 20, 2002, was advised by the team manager Col Abdur Rauf that the players, including the trio, could not be a part of squad for Akhbar Al-Youm tournament in Cairo, as they were over-age.
Not only the three players will be featuring in the Under-21 Asia Cup which starts from April 20 at Hockey Club of Pakistan, over-age goalkeeper Mohammad Iqbal will also stand under the bar.
Interestingly, Iqbal was caught by Rauf in 2002 for sending his younger brother for wrist test which was conducted to determine the players' age. Chief selector Akhtar Rasool had no satisfactory reply when asked how the players, who were discarded for being over-age some one and half years ago, could be fielded in the forthcoming tournament in 2004.
"They are not over-age. All the players are under-21 and fit for the tournament," Akhtar said and added age scrutiny of the players had already been done.
Surprisingly, Shakeel Abbasi, a senior team forward, who will captain the Asia Cup squad, will be representing the junior team for the first time in any tournament. He was never considered for the junior team during the last two years when the management was busy in forming the squad.
When asked was it necessary to carry out futile and risky exercise of holding trials in which a potential key player could get injured, Akhtar had no answer.
Khalid Mahmood, a promising half-back, was injured and had a cut and badly swollen lip when a dangerous and rising ball struck his mouth during the third session of the trial.
"He is fine and had resumed play after being hit. Players do get injured during the game," Akhtar said but could not give a satisfactory reply when asked was it imperative to hold trials for the selectors, putting the players at risk.
Asked why Tariq Aziz was removed from the captaincy and demoted as vice-captain despite serving the national side for quite a long time as skipper, the chief selector said: "It does not matter. Anybody can be a captain."
As usual, selector Saeed Khan was absent, while the remaining selection committee saw virtually three-hour long trials before announcing the squad. Apart from penalty corner specialist Imran Warsi, another drag-flicker Mohammad Imran had been inducted as half-back as coach Asif Bajwa said he had potential to perform better in the half-line.
"(Mohammad) Imran has been tested as a half-back in the previous tours and he had proved his worth on that position. That is why he will play as half-back," he said.
Asif, who was optimist about his side's chances of regaining the Cup Pakistan last won in Singapore in 1996, said his team had the potential to do wonders.
"Besides India, South Korea, and Malaysia, if any team could give us a surprise, they will be China and Japan," coach said. Pakistan have been placed along with Chinese Taipei, Japan, South Korea and Singapore in Pool 'A', while arch-rivals India are in Pool 'B' with Bangladesh, China, Malaysia and Sri Lanka.
