KARACHI, Nov 5: Goalkeeper Mazhar Abbas has been named to lead an 18-member Pakistan junior hockey squad in the second Sultan Johor Bahru International Hockey Tournament being held in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, from Nov 11 to 18.

The squad was picked by the team management in consultation with Olympian Tahir Zaman and was announced by manager-cum-chief coach Rana Mujahid at the Hockey Club of Pakistan here on Monday.

A 24-member Pakistan squad is due to leave for Malaysia via Bangkok on Tuesday night to take part in the six-nation event.

This is the first time when the squad was selected by the team management after abolishment of the selection committee by the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF).

Besides Pakistan, Australia, Germany, India, New Zealand and Malaysia are taking part in the competition.

“In the presence of top teams it will be challenging for us [Johor Bahru]. We hope that it will be great exposure for the boys,” Rana Mujahid said.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Mazhar Abbas (captain), Amjad Ali. Fullbacks: Khalid Bhatti, Aleem Bilal, Kashif Javed. Halfbacks: Tasawar Abbas, Ammad Shakeel Butt, Faisal Qadir, Bilal Khan. Forwards: M. Irfan (vice-captain), Hafiz Umar Sardar, Mohammad Dilber, Hafiz Rizwan, Mohammad Suleman, Arsalan Qadir, Asad Bashir, Mohammad Jaffar, Mohammad Saleem. Officials: Rana Mujahid Ali (manager-cum chief coach), Tahir Zaman (consultant), Danish Kaleem, Anjum Saeed, Abuzar Umrao, Dr Asad Abbas. Schedule of Pakistan’s matches: Nov 11 v New Zealand; Nov 12 v Australia; Nov 14 v India; Nov 15 v Malaysia; Nov 17 v Germany.—APP