Champions Trophy preparations: Team management to increase bench strength

The national hockey squad will include five juniors .

KARACHI: With less than a month left to the Champions Trophy, probables for the national team are undergoing extensive training drills as they prepare for the high-profile tournament set to take place in India that starts on December 6.

The team management is focused on increasing the strength of the bench by introducing new players that can be tested prior to next year’s Olympic qualifiers.

According to head coach Shahnaz Sheikh, the squad, which mainly comprises of players who represented the country at the Asian Games, will also feature five of the juniors who recently completed their stint at the Sultan of Johor Cup in Malaysia.



“Three players from the 16-member national team have been dropped while five juniors will be given a chance to showcase their talent at the Champions Trophy, which allows 18-member teams to participate,” Sheikh told The Express Tribune during an evening training session at the Hockey Club of Pakistan.

He added that the idea was to increase the strength of the bench. “In the new format, all 18 players will be played during a match as each player will be given a rest of two minutes after seven minutes of play.”

Sheikh added that proper training would commence from November 10 (today) as they were waiting for 16 players to return from their international assignments.

Imran targets title

Skipper Muhammad Imran said he is hoping for a reversal in fortunes after losing the final against India at the Asian Games in Korea.

“We are looking for a better show in this event,” said Imran. “There are some youngsters in the team who lack experience, but we are still looking to win the title. We will not take any team for granted and will play each match like it’s a final.”

 

Published in The Express Tribune, November 10^th, 2014.

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