KARACHI, April 18: Ashfaq Ahmad will lead a 20-man Pakistan squad announced Thursday for the under-20 Asian football championship group V qualifiers which start here April 25.

According to the squad and five reserves named by the organizers for the four-team contest, Adeel will be Ashfaq’s deputy.

The list of 25 was finalized by coach John Layton after testing them at a camp in Islamabad which is expected to be shifted here April 21 to acclimatise the players.

Apart from hosts Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Maldives will feature in the tournament which concludes April 29 at People’s Sports Complex.

Four players — Ashfaq, Asadullah, Adeel, and Shakir — were on the injury list but apart from Adeel, who is still carrying a hamstring injury, the remaining three have recovered.

Ashfaq was nursing a hamstring injury, Shakir had bruised calf, while Asadullah was suffering from knee ligament problem.

However, another team member, Sohail Nawaz, injured his hamstring Thursday during a session but is likely to play the opener against Maldives on April 25.

The list released by the organizers did not have officials names.

Organizers say they would prefer to start first match at 2.00pm and the second at 6.00pm with the second half of the evening tie under lights.

“We have suggested the timings, now it is up to the match commissioner and other AFC-appointed officials to decide when the matches should be played,” Abbas Baloch, chairman of the organizing committee, said.

Abbas, a vice-president of the Pakistan Football federation (PFF), said sponsors were being tried to engage for the event, but so far the endeavours have met to no success.

“We are trying to get a sponsor. But the money to organize the tournament would then be spent from the FIFA funds if we failed,” the official said.

The participating teams are scheduled to arrive April 23.

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