Hockey squad announced for Holland tour

KARACHI: The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has announced a 19-member squad for the European tour that will include practice and international matches as the team prepares for the Commonwealth Games.

Goalkeeper Salman Akbar was included on a tentative basis pending negotiations with his Dutch club while coach Michel ven Dan Heuvel wants to bring two junior team members to Holland along with the team.

“We’ll have a 21-member squad,” Assistant Coach Ahmed Alam told- The Express Tribune. “Heuvel and the selectors have agreed we’ll pick two players from the junior team when they return from the Youth Olympics.”

The current squad includes two junior goalkeepers Imran Butt and Imran Shah while the PHF tries to negotiate with Akbar’s Dutch club to let him participate in the Commonwealth Games. “Akbar signed a contract with the Dutch club four months ago and their season is clashing with the Commonwealth Games. We have a choose whether to use him in the Commonwealth Games or the Asian Games.”

Akbar wanted for China

Captain Zeeshan Ashraf, however, prefers using Akbar in the Asian Games and added that the current squad may not be the final one as the team has one more month to improve and try different combinations. “There hasn’t been any major change except that of Akbar’s,” said Ashraf. “It is the best possible line-up for now but there will be many changes since we need to have 16 players in the final squad for the Games.”

Waqas Akbar has replaced Amir Shehzad as the right-in forward, while Mohammad Zubair will fill Akhtar Ali’s shoes as a centre-half.

The PHF had initially finalised 27 players for the Abbotabad camp but Akhtar and Amir Shehzad had to drop out of the training due to fitness issues.

Meanwhile, Heuvel said that he has been an active part of the process along with the selection committee headed by Olympian Hanif Khan. “I am coaching the team therefore I have a say in the final selection. I am lucky that the committee understands the requirements of international hockey but the decision also lies with me equally.”

Published in The Express Tribune, August 25^th, 2010.