LAHORE, Feb 23: The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has cut short the probables to 26, axing 11 from the ongoing national training camp at the Punjab Stadium on Monday.
The camp commenced on Feb 9 for the Prime Minister Cup to be held in Nepal in March and 3rd AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka in April. In the first phase, 65 probables were called. But after three-day the list had been short listed to 37 after holding the first trials.
Former Pakistan captain/goalkeeper Jaffar Khan is among those retained in the latest list. He had recently joined the game as he was in Congo, with his Army Unit in connection with the United Nations peacekeeping mission and was not available for Pakistan in World Cup Qualifiers 2007 (v Iraq) and all the events in 2008.
The newly appointed foreign coach of Pakistan George Kottan of Austria axed the probables.
Shortlisted probables:
Goal-keepers (3): Jaffar Khan (Army), Amir Gul (NBP) and Bilal Rafiq (PIA).
Defenders (12): Naveed Akram, Rana Fakhar Hayat (Wapda), Mohammad
Ahmed, Samar Ishaq (KRL), Aurangzeb (KPT), Yasir Sabir, Mehmood Khan, Atiqullah, (NBP), Haji Mohammad, Abdul Jabbar, Ali Ehsan (PIA), Mohammad Imran (Army).
Midfielders (5): Mohammad Essa (KRL), Abdul Aziz (NBP), Nasrullah Khan (PIA), Jadeed Khan (Afghan FC), Imran Niazi (Wapda).
Strikers (6): Mohammad Qasim, Mohammad Rasool (KRL), Asif Mehmood (Navy), Mohammad Asif (NBP), Shakir Lashari (PIA), Safiullah Khan (NWFP).
Axed probables:
Basit Ghafoor (PEL), Zaid Arif (PEL), Jahangir Shah (Afghan FC, Chaman), Muzammil Hussain (Punjab). Defender: Adil Ahmed (NBP). Midfielders: Farhan Qadir (Navy), Mohammad Wasim (KPT), Abbas Ali (NBP), Javed Hamza (KESC), Mohammad Rashid (PEL). Striker: Sajjad Ahmed (Navy).
