LAHORE, March 30: Pakistan will be missing their star defender Zesh Rehman at AFC Challenge Cup after English club Norwich City refused to release the player. The event is scheduled to be held in Dhaka and Chittagong from Saturday.

Rehman represented Pakistan first at last December’s SAFF championship in Karachi before visiting Bahrain where he played some practice matches. The Englishman could not join Pakistan for Asia Cup qualifying round matches against Bangladesh, Jordan and UAE after being refused to be released by his club.

His name was, however, included in the 20-member AFC Cup squad which left for Bangladesh on March 28.