Bhutta to lead Pakistan in Junior World Cup

Selectors announce 18-man squad for prestigious hockey event.

KARACHI: Olympian Umar Bhutta has been retained as captain of the national junior team that will represent the country in the Junior Hockey World Cup to be played in India. 

Pakistan will send an 18-member squad for the event that will be contested by 16 teams from December 6 to 15 in New Delhi.

The final squad was named following the trials in Lahore on Wednesday.

Bhutta, who led the team at the Sultan of Johor Cup in Malaysia in September, has been retained as captain on the back of his experiences with the senior team.

Mohammad Tauseeq, another member of the senior team, has been named vice-captain in place of Syed Kashif Shah. The squad includes two goal-keepers in Mazhar Abbas and Amin Yousaf.

However, Mohammad Khalid’s inclusion in the touring squad is subject to his fitness which will be gauged during the practice games between the senior and junior teams on November 29 and 30.

Khalid will be replaced by Kashif Javed if he fails the fitness test.

“The squad has been named after thorough assessment,” head coach Manzoorul Hasan told The Express Tribune.

“We have tried our best to select a balanced squad comprising the best available players.

“Umar [Bhutta] is experienced and was the best option to lead team while Tauseeq has been promoted after his fine show with the Pakistan team at the Asian Champions Trophy.”

The colts, tied in Pool A, will begin their World Cup campaign with a match against Egypt, while Germany and Belgium are the other teams in the group.

Squad

Umar Bhutta (captain), Mohammad Tauseeq (vice-captain), Mazhar Abbas, Amin Yousaf, Kashif Shah, Faisal Qadir, Rizwan Junior, Ammad Shakeel, Zohaib Ashraf, Mohammad Umair, Mohammad Dilber, Aleem Bilal, Arslan Qadir, Tassawur Abbas, Mohammad Irfan, Rizwan Ali, Mohammad Adnan, Mohammad Khalid/Kashif Javed.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 28^th, 2013.

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