Hockey: PHF announces probables for Champions Trophy

Akbar returns; Butt, Ashraf overlooked for preliminary squad.

KARACHI: Former captains Zeeshan Ashraf and Rehan Butt continued to be overlooked as the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) named 24 probables for next month’s Champions Trophy to be held in Auckland, New Zealand.

While the two seasoned campaigners were ignored, another former captain Salman Akbar returned to the national fold after missing the entire Australia tour due to his commitment with a Dutch League.

The experienced goal-keeper faced the axe after a poor performance during the Europe tour earlier this year, while Ashraf opted to skip the Azlan Shah Cup in April, making himself available for mega tournaments. Both players had expressed their desire to play the Champions Trophy and had declared themselves fit for the prestigious tournament.

According to a selector, the squad was selected on the basis of form and fitness.

“The selected players are the best lot of fit and in-form players,” he said. “There are questions being raised on the fitness of Ashraf and Butt and we don’t want to take risks.”

Penalty-corner specialist Sohail Abbas was retained as well.

Training camp from Monday

According to the PHF, the training camp will start on November 13 in Islamabad, while trials to select the final team will be held on November 20.

Probables

Mohammad Imran, Shakeel Abbasi, Syed Kashif Shah, Mohammad Rizwan Junior, Waseem Ahmed, Rashid Mehmood, Fareed Ahmed, Mohammad Tousiq, Mohammad Waqas, Sohail Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan Senior, Mohammad Zubair, Abdul Haseem Khan, Imran Shah, Mohammad Umar Bhutta, Mohammad Irfan Senior, Shafqat Rasool, M. Kashif Javed, Ali Shan, Mohammad Irfan Junior, Salman Akbar, Tasawar Abbas, Mohammad Suleman and Mohammad Kashif

Published in The Express Tribune, November 12^th,  2011.