LAHORE: Except captain Umar Bhutta, all 44 probables reported to the national hockey training camp, which started here at the National Hockey Stadium on Monday.

The camp has been established for preparing the team for this year’s Asian Champions Trophy scheduled to be staged in Chennai from Aug 3-12 and the Sept 23-Oct 8 Asian Games in the Chinese city of Hangzhou.

Umar, who is currently playing hockey in Australia and will join the camp in the next couple of days.

“The selectors have called up all the 25 players who recently competed in the Junior Asia Cup [in Oman] and got silver medal, considering them as a talented back-up; they will train with the senior players till June 28 before taking rest due to Eid-ul-Azha,” Saqlain said.

“Three physical instructors from Pakistan Army have been deputed with the probables to keep special focus on the players’ fitness.”

Published in Dawn, June 13th, 2023