KARACHI, Aug 2: Pakistan’s former skipper Mohammad Essa, who had been out of action since May due to a thigh injury, will be back on the field as captain of the Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) squad in the ongoing Pakistan Premier Football League (PPFL).

Essa, who had aggravated a thigh injury during the National Football Challenge Cup (NFCC) in Karachi, was advised to take rest by his doctors due to which he also missed the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship in Maldives, where Pakistan lost all their three group ‘A’ matches — 3-0 against Maldives, 2-1 against India and 4-1 against Nepal — to return home empty handed.

KRL play their first PPFL match this year by taking on Afghan FC at the Govt. High School ground in Chaman on Sunday at 5.30pm.