LAHORE, Dec 2 Midfielder Mohammad Essa Khan has been named captain of the Pakistan football team to appear in the biennial SAFF Championship to kick off at Dhakas Bangabandhu National Stadium from Friday.

Goalkeeper Jaffar Khan will be his deputy. Meanwhile, Mahmood Khan, who acted as vice captain during the Thailand Tour, failed to find a spot in the team along with Atiqullah, Nomi Martin Gill and Zulfiqar Ali Shah.

The 8th edition of the premier football event in South Asia will comprise of 15 matches. Pakistan is placed in Group 'B' along with Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Bhutan while Group 'A' comprises holders Maldives, India, Nepal and Afghanistan.

Team

Goalkeepers Jaffar Khan (vice captain), Aamir Gul.

Defenders Mohammad Shahid, Haji Mohammad, Aurangzeb, Shabbir Khan, Samar Ishaq, Zeeshan Rehman, Amjad Iqbal.

Midfielders Nasrullah Khan, Mohammad Essa Khan (captain), Abdul Aziz, Adnan Farooq Ahmed, Atif Bashir, Rais Ashraf, Mahmood Ali.

Strikers Safiullah Khan, Mudassar Saeed, Jadid Khan Pathan, Arif Mahmood, Khuda Bakhsh.—Agencies