Pakistan hockey team set for FIH Junior World Cup in Kuala Lumpur

Asher Butt

LAHORE: The Junior Hockey Team has been officially announced to represent the country in the upcoming FIH Junior Hockey World Cup scheduled to take place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The prestigious tournament is set to unfold from December 5 to 16, and the Pakistan Junior Hockey Team is gearing up for an exciting competition.

The selection process was conducted under the supervision of the Pakistan Hockey Federation President, Brigadier R Khalid Sajjad Khokhar. After receiving the President's approval, the PHF Selection Committee, led by Chairman Olympian Asif Bajwa, meticulously picked a squad of 20 talented players who will don the green and white colors at the international event and their names were announced before media here at the PHF headquarters on Wednesday.

The team announcement ceremony was attended by key figures in Pakistani hockey, including Member Selection Committee Olympian Anjum Saeed, Team Manager Lt. Col. R. Asif Naz Khokhar, and Head Coach Roelant Oltamans. The selected squad reflects a blend of promising talent and experienced players who will represent the nation with zeal and determination.

Bajwa stated that goalkeepers Ali Raza and Abdul Rafi Sajid have been included in the team alongside Arbaaz Ahmed, Mohammad Sufyan Khan, Ihtsham Aslam, Aqeel Ahmed who will be joining the squad for the big event. He further stated that keeping in view the performance of the players Abdul Manan, Muhammad Murtaza Yaqub, Zakaria Hayat, Muhammad Imad, Ghazanfar Ali are made part of the team and so were Ali Murtaza, Arshad Liaquat, Abdul Hanan Shahid, Abdul Rehman, Umar Mustafa, Abuzar and Abdul Qayyum are also part of the team. Basharat Ali and Arbaaz Ayaz, he said will be reserve players.

The team officials accompanying the players to Malaysia include Team Manager Lt. Col R Asif Naz Khokhar, Head Coach Roelant Oltamans, and Coaches Olympian Shakeel Abbasi, International Muhammad Ali, and International Muhammad Asif. The support staff also includes Physiotherapist Muhammad Aslam and Video Analyst Nadeem Lodhi, who will play crucial roles in ensuring the team's fitness and strategic analysis during the competition.

The selected players are as follows:

Ali Raza, Abdul Rafay Sajid (goalkeeper), Arbaaz Ahmed, Muhammad Sufyan Khan, Ehtsham Aslam, Aqeel Ahmed, Abdul Manan, Muhammad Murtaza Yaqub, Zikaria Hayat, Muhammad Hayat, Ghazanfar Ali, Ali Murtaza, Arshad Liaquat, Abdul Hanan Shahid, Abdul Rehman, Umar Mustafa, Abuzar, Abdul Qayyum,

Reserve players: Basharat Ali, Arbaaz Ayaz

“The team, under the leadership of their experienced coaching staff and seasoned players, aims to showcase their skills and compete at the highest level. The FIH Junior Hockey World Cup provides a platform for these young athletes to gain valuable international exposure and contribute to the rich legacy of Pakistan in the field of hockey. The nation eagerly awaits their performance and wishes them success in the upcoming tournament,” he concluded.