Imran to lead Pakistan hockey team in Azlan Shah Cup

Muhammad Imran has been appointed as the new skipper for Pakistani hockey side, he will lead a new-look youthful Pakistan hockey squad in the Azlan Shah Cup being staged in Ipoh (Malaysia) from May 6 to 15, Chief Selector Hanif Khan announced on Tuesday. PHF selectors took a bold decision of dropping four top players including goalie Nasir Ahmed, full-back Sohail Abbas and forwards Rehan Butt and Shakeel Abbasi. Former Captain Zeeshan Ashraf, Waseem Ahmed and Akhtar Ali decided to skip the event. Out of 16-meber squad which featured in World Cup in New Delhi (India) and finished 12th, only eight players retained their place in the national squad We wanted to give senior player rest and induct some young blood in the team with an eye on the future, Hanif Khan said Teem was named after trials at Hockey Club of Pakistan in presence of selection committee members Arshad Chaudhry, Musidiq Hussain and Muhammad Usman. Chief coach Khawaja Junaid was also present on the occasion. However, senior players expressed their disappointment over their dropping from the team. We attended the camp to secure our place in the team but faced the axed. Its injustice with us, former Pakistan Captain and forward Rehan Butt said. The Pakistani squad comprise of, Goal Keppers: Imran Shah, Imran Butt Full-backs: Muhammad Imran (Captain), Aamir Shahzad, Kashif Ali, Half backs: Muhammad Irfan, Fareed Ahmed, Muhammad Rashid, Zeeshan Ali, Muhammad Tauseeq, Forwards: Waqas Sharif, Shafqat Rasool, Haseem Khan, Muhamad Zubair, Muhammad Rizwan, Abdul QAyyum, Kashif Ali Jr., Umer Bhutta Management: Khawja Junaid (Manager cum Chief coach), Ahmed Alam, Muhamad Ajaml Khan (Assistant coaches).