KARACHI: An 18-member Pakistan hockey squad was finalised for the Champions Trophy when half back Rashid Mahmood and forward Rizwan senior earned the selector’s nod at the expense of Yaqoob Azfar and Rizwan Ali after final trials at the Hockey Club of Pakistan Stadium on Thursday.

Earlier, the selectors have named both Rashid and Rizwan senior among 20 probables in absentia after preceding two-day trials held on Nov 12 and 13 on the pretext that they alongwith others have to prove their fitness during final trials.

Rashid and Rizwan senior, who were away playing professional league in Holland, have reported to the manager-cum-chief-coach Shahnaz Sheikh in the camp the other day.

According to official announcement, the national hockey camp will be rounded off on Friday after morning training session and the 18 players and six officials will reassemble at Lahore on Monday. The team leaves for India via Wagah border on Tuesday (Dec 2).

The Champions Trophy will be held in the Indian city of Bhubaneswar from Dec 6 to 14.

Meanwhile, Pakistan hockey team will wear the shirts with a logo of Omar Associates in the Champions Trophy, PHF secretary Rana Mujahid told newsmen after the trials.

Flanked by Chief Executive of Omar Associates, Nadeem Omar, Islahuddin Siddiqui and Shahid Ali Khan among others he said the PHF will be doing this on its own and was not asked to do so by the firm’s chief.

The secretary regretted that in the absence of government’s patronage, PHF was running from pillar to post to keep the ball going. “We are awaiting the prime minister to approve the summary forwarded to him by the ministry for Inter-provincial Coordination (IPC) for the uplift of game,”

As a first step, Omar, who is known for promoting cricket, has come to the rescue to the cash-strapped PHF by financially supporting the teams Indian trip.

He evaded to mention the amount and said this is just a beginning to see the revival of golden era of game.

He hoped a couple of other individuals incuding businessmen and firms should follow suit for helping the national game.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Imran Butt, Amjad Ali.

Backs: Mohammad Imran (captain), Mohammad Irfan, Kashif Shah.

Halves: Ammad Butt, Mohammad Tousiq Ahmed, Rashid Mahmood, Rizwan junior, Tassawar Abbas, Zohaib Ashraf.

Forwards: Waqas Sharif, Shafqat Rasool (vice-captain), Arsalan Qadir, Umer Bhutta, Rizwan senior, Mohammad Dilber, Ali Shan.

Officials:

Shahnaz Shaikh (manager-cum-chief-coach), Nasir Ali, Malik Shafqat, Sameer Hussain, Abu Zar (coaches) and Dr Asad Abbas.

Published in Dawn, November 28th, 2014