ISLAMABAD, July 27: Centre forward Kashif Jawaad was dropped from the Pakistan hockey team named on Wednesday for two back-to-back tournaments in Europe next month.

A 19-member squad was announced following trials at the Naseer Bunda hockey ground by chief selector Akhtar Rasool, who said that all the decisions on selection had been unanimous.

“The team has been chosen with an eye on this December’s Champions Trophy and the next year’s World Cup,” said Akhtar with whom on the selection panel were Shahnaz Shaikh and coopted members Saeed Khan and Musarratullah Khan. Another selector Hassan Sardar could not make it from Karachi.

“Kashif was dropped because of his performance,” Akhtar made it clear. His place will be taken by the talented Shakeel Abbasi on the team which will be led by Muhammad Saqlain with Mudassar Ali being his deputy.

The tour will see Pakistan first compete in the four-nation Hamburg Masters in Germany, an event that runs from Aug 12 to 14. It will also feature the hosts, Australia and Holland.

The second tournament that will take place from Aug 14 to 21 in Amsterdam will have eight teams with Pakistan, Germany, Holland, Australia, India, Korea, Spain and Argentina on show.

The selected squad has eight forwards in Rehan Butt, Mudassar Ali, Shakeel Abbasi, Tariq Aziz, Shabbir Hussain, Akhtar Ali, Adnan Zakir and Kashif Yaqub.

Among the fullbacks chosen are Zeeshan Ashraf, Muhammad Imran, Imran Warsi and M. Ehsanullah while the halfline comprises Imran Khan, Muhammad Saqlain, Dilawar Hussain, Adnan Maqsood and Ghazanfar Ali. Minding the goal on the tour will be Salman Akbar and Nasir Mahmood.

The selectors also named six standbys in Imran Shah, Muhammad Atiq, Sajjad Anwar, Waqas Sharif, Zubair Ali and Samiullah.

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