KARACHI: One-day trials to finalise an 18-member Pakistan hockey team for the Champions Trophy will be held at the Hockey Club of Pakistan Stadium on Thursday at 3.00pm, chairman of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) selection committee, Islahuddin Siddiqui, said on Tuesday.

The trials are aimed at watching the fitness of 20 players particularly, Rashid Mahmood and Rizwan senior, who were engaged in playing professional league in Holland and have joined the camp which is currently underway at the HCP Stadium.

Both Rashid and Rizwan senior who did not appear in the two-day preceding trials held on Nov 12 and 13, were named among 20-members by the selectors while shortlisting the probables.

The Champions Trophy will be held in the Indian city of Bhubaneswar from Dec 6 to 14. Pakistan team, according to Islah, leaves for India via Wagah border on Dec 2.

It is pertinent to mention that the selectors have made it clear that they will again hold one-day trials to watch the level of fitness of players before dropping two from the list.

The 20 probables who will make their appearance in the trials are Imran Butt, Amjad Ali (goal keepers), Mohammad Imran, Mohammad Irfan, Kashif Shah (backs), Ammad Butt, Mohammad Tousiq, Rashid Mahmood, Rizwan junior, Zohaib Ashraf, Tassawar Abbas (halves) and Waqas Sharif, Shafqat Rasool, Umer Bhutta, Mohammad Dilber, Rizwan senior, Ali Shan, Arsalan Qadir, Yaqoob Azfar, Rizwan Ali (forwards).

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2014