KARACHI: The two-day trials to shortlist probables in the ongoing national hockey camp, begins at the Abdul Sattar Edhi hockey stadium on Sunday at 3pm.

Some 60 of the 75 probables invited by the PHF in the camp will appear in the trials, manager of the team retired Col Mohsin Ali told Dawn at the stadium on Saturday. Chief coach Hanif Khan was also present.

The manager disclosed that around 35 to 40 players will be retained for further training.

He said about half-a-dozen players were allowed to accompany their departmental team Wapda to Oman to play a series of matches while some players were engaged in playing league in Malaysia. In addition, a player has gone to Saudi Arabia to perform Umra while another is on the sick list.

The retired soldier, who is associated with the national team since April last, said the whole exercise is to prepare a strong combination for the World Cup qualifiers being held at London in June.

In the first step, the greenshirts will compete in a four-nation tournament which is slated to take place in Australia tentatively from March 10 he said and added that so far three teams — Australia, New Zealand and Pakistan — have confirmed their participation while either Malaysia or South Korea will complete the quartet.

“We are also planning to play at least two matches against clubs in Australia and a series of five matches against New Zealand on their soil,” he said.

Sounding optimistic, the official said he has witnessed an upward trend among players who are eager to deliver the goods on the field. The performance of players who are playing league in Malaysia will be taken into account before considering them for selection, he added.

He regretted that during the last one year Pakistan hockey team had played only 14 international matches — all in Malaysia — in Azlan Shah Cup and Asian Champions Trophy.

Meanwhile, the PHF secretary Shahbaz Ahmed is due to arrive here from Lahore on Saturday night to watch the trials.

The selection committee consists of Abdul Rasheed Jr, Waseem Feroz, Farhat Khan and Qasim Khan.

Published in Dawn, January 22nd, 2017