South Asian Games: Only three new faces in hockey squad

Eleven senior players in side despite PHF’s claims of giving youngsters a chance

KARACHI: Three new faces — Taimoor Khan, Samiullah and Awaisur Rehman — made the cut in the 16-member Pakistan Whites’ — Pakistan hockey’s A team — squad, who will travel to India to participate in the South Asian Games next month.

The selection of the squad, which includes 11 senior team players and one junior team member, seemingly adheres to commitment on the Pakistan Hockey Federation’s (PHF) part to claim gold in the event in India.

However, it goes against the principles on which the hockey governing body of Pakistan had decided to send an A team; to give new players, who are left out of the senior side, a chance to impress and gain more game-time.



PHF secretary Shahbaz Ahmed Sr had claimed after the trials on Tuesday that the players who failed to make it to the senior and junior outfits will be given preference, and that ‘only four-five senior players would be selected for the event in India’.

Come Wednesday, the official was left in an awkward position when the selection committee announced the squad with 11 senior team players.



“They [the selection committee] wanted to make a team that will not only have a chance to win gold, but will also be able to handle pressure of playing in India,” explained Shahbaz when approached by The Express Tribune.

While the intent of the selection committee is commendable, it raises question marks on whether the PHF is committed to the development of young players as it claimed when the new management, led by president Brig (retd) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar, took over.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 28^th,  2016.

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