KARACHI: Pakistan hockey chief selector Hanif Khan reckons that the country’s hockey team is on the road to regaining its lost glory.

“They are playing very well especially after their gold medal at the Asian Games,” Khan, a former Olympian told PPI.

“Their confidence is back and I feel that we will have a strong outfit in the future”

After observing a training camp at the Naseer Bunda Hockey Stadium in Islamabad, Khan along with other selection committee members short-listed the preliminary squad of 28 players to 22 players.

“It was difficult to cut down the players as there was close competition amongst players. However, we are trying to select a balanced side for Azlan Shah Cup keeping in view the 2012 Olympics,” he said.

The next session of training would begin on April 20, and will continue until the departure of the team for 20th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, which would be played from May 5-15 in Ipoh, Malaysia.

“I expect a good result from them in the Azlan Shah Cup,” Khan added.

The chief selector said that the fitness level of players would be crucial and the main criteria in the selection of the final team.

“All the players in the 22-member squad are highly talented and the selection would largely be done on the basis of their level of fitness.”

Squad: Imran Shah (GK), Mazhar Abbas (GK), Muhammad Imran Senior (FB), Sohail Abbas (FB), Muhammad Kashif Javed (RH), Muhammad Rizwan Junior (RH), Waseem Ahmad (CH), Muhammad Tousiq (CH), Fareed Ahmed (CH), Muhammad Rashid (LH), Shafqat Rasool (RM), Waqas Sharif (RO), Abdul Haseem Khan (CF), Muhammad Rizwan Senior (LM), Muhammad Zubair (LF), Muhammad Umar Bhutta (RM), Syed Kashif Shah (FB), Rehan Butt (RO), Shakeel Abbasi (RM), Waqas Akbar (RF), Akhtar Ali (LF) and Muhammad Imran Junior (LF). -PPI