The Pakistani team will be led by Punjabs Nazia Rehmant who scored a handful of goals in the same event last year and has been performing regularly at the domestic level. -APP

LAHORE Pakistan under 18 girls hockey team will leave for China tomorrow, Thursday, to take part in under 18 girls Asia Cup being played from July 20-26 at Shanghai.

Seven participating teams are divided into two pools. Pool A comprises India, China, Sri Lanka and Thailand, while Pakistan, South Korea and Japan are in pool B.

Pakistan will play its first match against Japan on July 20, while second pool match will be played against South Korea on July 23.

Coach of the team former Olympian Anjum Saeed said that during the one month training camp in Islamabad players had good training and the management were hoping the team will produce good results in the event.

'Most of the team players are touring for the first time and they will get international exposure which will help them in future,' he said.

Anjum said PHF is taking every measure to develop women's hockey in the country and efforts are being made to give exposure to young players to prepare them for the rigors of international hockey.

The team members are Nazia Rehmat (Captain), Imrana Sattar, Sadia Rehmat, Nafeesa Anwar, Ishrat Abbas, Zakia Nawaz, Anza Bashir, Taskeen Kausar, Sahil Malik, Fazeelat Rasheed, Ayesha Rafiq, Sadia Akram, Hafiza Rabia, Tahira Parveen, Muqadas Akbar and Shahida Raza. The team officials are Parveen Sikander Gill (Manager), Olympian Anjum Saeed (Coach), Shaista Javed and Mushtaq Ahmad (Assistant Coaches), Hina Riaz (Physio).