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LAHORE, June 2: International goalkeeper Jaffar Khan was named captain for the 22-member Pakistan team for the forthcoming three-match football series against India on Thursday. The Indian team play matches in Quetta (June 12), Peshawar (June 16) and Lahore (June 18).
Mohammad Essa will be Jaffar’s deputy. Jaffar, who has served Pakistan soccer team as captain in the past, has taken over from Tanveer Ahmad who led the team at the first Islamic Games in Saudi Arabia from April 8 to 20 which failed to qualify for quarterfinals after losing pool matches against Morocco and Malaysia 2-0.
Of 22 selected players, 18 had represented the country in the Islamic Games. Aurangzeb and Imran Niazi failed to get nod of the selection committee headed by Younis Chengaizi which selected the team after a training camp in Quetta.
Four new players inducted are goalkeeper Mehmood Ahmed, striker Shabbir Hussain and midfielders Atiq Ullah and Abdul Nasir.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Jaffar Khan (captain), Mohammad Shahzad, Mehmood Ahmed.
Defenders: Tanveer Ahmad, Mohammad Shahid , Yasir Sabir, Naveed Akram, Ijaz Ahmad, Mohammad Imran, Mahmood Khan.
Midfielders: Mohammad Zahid, Zahid Hameed, Atiqur Rehman, Attiq Ullah, Abdul Nasir.
Strikers: Arif Mahmood, Imran Hussain, Farooq Shah, Mohammad Essa (vice-captain, Abdul Aziz, Shahid Ahmad, Shabbir Hussain.
