KARACHI, Sept 2: Pakistan juniors rolled off their preparations Monday for October’s international invitational hockey tournament in Egypt with 63 probables reporting at the camp.

Initially, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) had decided to retain 44 trainees for the camp, but has now added 19 more from the provincial associations.

In addition to 19 players, four more from the associations reported at the camp but were not allowed to join as, according to the coach Ayaz Mahmood, they were not selected by their respective associations.

Although the team officials were unaware of the contestants, according to them, England and South Africa have confirmed their participation in the event that starts from Oct 11 in Cairo.

October’s tournament will be juniors’ first international activity since after last year April-May’s four-match home series against junior English side which Pakistan won 2-1.

Juniors are being provided an opportunity to gain exposure since the senior side, who were invited, will be busy playing at the Sept 29-Oct 14 Asian Games in the South Korean city of Busan.

The players will have their morning session at the Hockey Club of Pakistan (HCP) and the evening training at DHA Stadium because of HCP’s rundown pitch.

The camp will be shifted to Pakistan Steel Mills Complex after shortlisting the players to 44 on Sept 7.

The two-day trials to select 18-member squad and 15 reserves are scheduled to be held on Sept 21 and 22 at Steel Mills Complex.

The players had their morning drills and practice games in the evening under the supervision of Ayaz who is being assisted by former internationals Qamar Ibraheem and Salman Wahab.

Both, Ayaz and Qamar, were to attend the Aug 31 to Sept 7 International Hockey Federation (FIH) coaches course in Cologne, Germany, but could not fly after being denied the visa by German embassy in Islamabad.

“We had been asked by the German embassy to furnish a letter from the German hockey association. That has been provided by the German hockey officials today. Probably the embassy will issue us the visas tomorrow morning.

“But frankly I think it is useless now to join in the middle of the course which must be in progress,” Ayaz said.

However, another participant of the coaches course, Major Mukarram, has already left for Germany after being issued the German visa.

Ayaz, 1984 Los Angeles Olympic gold medallist, who has recently been appointed junior team coach, said the Cairo event would give the boys the much-needed exposure ahead of future assignments.