ISLAMABAD: The national hockey team will depart for South Korea on Sept 11 to play some practice matches ahead of the Asian Games.

The mega event is starting in Incheon on Sept 19.

The team tried hard to get an international tour ahead of the Asiad but to no avail.

The government however decided to send the squad on Sept 11 so that players could get a chance to play some practice matches.

Pakistan Hockey Federation secretary Rana Mujahid told Dawn, “Our team has not featured in any international event for last one year. We tried hard to get an international tour ahead of the Asian Games but due to shortage of funds and visa-related issues, we could not get a chance.”

Mujahid further said the national team will try to play friendly matches against the hosts, Bangladesh and Japan.

The green-shirts will defend the title they won four years ago in Guangzhou, China.

After winning the title, Pakistan performed miserably and failed to qualify for the recently-held World Cup.

The 35-year-old fullback Mohammad Imran will lead the team.

“It’s a good decision by PHF and Sports Board to send the team to Korea early. We will try to take maximum advantage from it,” Imran said.

He said they will play their first match on Sept 20 against Sri Lanka and the team has sufficient time before this match to acclimatize.

He said he was satisfied with the squad picked by the selectors.

The PHF has announced an 18-member squad for the event. It will drop two players before squad’s departure to South Korea.

Meanwhile, speaking to Dawn, Pakistan Sports Board director general Akhtar Nawaz Ganjera said they had finalised all arrangements for sending the squad on Sept 11.

Squad:

Amjad Butt, Imran Butt, Mohammad Imran, Mohammad Irfan, Amir Shahzad, Hamad Shakeel Butt, Mohammad Touseeq, Farid Ahmed, Rashid Mahmood, Rizwan junior, Kashif Shah, Mohammad Waqas, Umar Bhutta, Shahfqat Rasool, Abdul Haseem Khan, Mohammad Dilbar, Shakeel Abbasi and Rizwan senior.

Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2014