Karachi: Pakistan today announced a strong
18-member squad for next month`s Champions Challenge I hockey
in Argentina, retaining most of the players who won the World
Cup qualifying tournament recently.
Senior players Sohail Abbas, Wasim Ahmed, Rehan Butt and
Shakeel Abbasi, who played main roles in Pakistan`s title
triumph in World Cup qualifying event in Lille, France,
figured in the squad for the December 6-13 tournament at
Salta, Argentina.
Pakistan Hockey Federation selection committee chief
Hasan Sardar said in Lahore they were retained given their
good show in Lille, which earned a berth for the country in
the World Cup next February-March in India.
Pakistan will be led by Zeeshan Ashraf in the Champions
Challenge I which has India, Belgium, China, New Zealand,
Argentina, South Africa and Canada as other participating
teams.
Pakistan squad: Salman Akbar, Nasir Ahmad, Zeeshan Ashraf
(Captain), Sohail Abbas, Muhammad Imran, Waseem Ahmad, Sajjad
Anwar, Fareed Ahmad, Muhammad Irfan, Muhammad Rashid, Shakeel
Abbasi, Muhammad Zubair, Muhammad Zubair, Rehan Butt, Abdul
Haseem Khan, Akhtar Ali, Omer Bhutta and Muhammad Rizwan.
PTI