LAHORE, July 16: An 18-member Pakistan hockey squad will leave for Spain on Tuesday to participate in the Champions Trophy to be played from July 22 to 30.

Ghazanfar Ali will be the captain in the absence of Mohammad Saqlain who is facing a three-match ban for breaching the FIH code of conduct.

Saqlain was banned by FIH and the decision was upheld by International Olympic Committee for hitting Australia’s Craig Victory last year at Hamburg Masters.

Penalty corner specialist Sohail Abbas and ex-captain Waseem Ahmad, who had quit after 2004 Champions Trophy in Lahore, have been included in the squad after they came out of their retirement.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Salman Akbar, Nasir Ahmad.

Full-backs: Sohail Abbas, Zeeshan Ashraf, Ehsanullah Khan, Mohammad Imran.

Half-backs: Adnan Maqsood, Ghazanfar Ali, Mohammad Saqlain, Dilawar Hussain, Waseem Ahmad.

Forwards: Rehan Butt, Adnan Zakir, Shakeel Abbasi, Salim Khalid, Akhtar Ali, Waqas Sharif, and Zubair.

Officials: Asif Bajwa (manager/coach), Rana Zaheer (assistant coach), Shahid Ali Khan (goalkeeping coach).—PPI