Shakeel Abbasi to lead Pakistan hockey team, Sohail Abbas back
October 11th, 2011 - 6:49 pm ICT by IANSKarachi, Oct 11 (IANS) Shakeel Abbasi has replaced the ailing Mohammad Imran as the captain of the Pakistani hockey team for the tri-series in Australia.
The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has announced a 19-man squad for the nine-a-side five-match Test series involving India and hosts Australia as the two other sides.
Imran, however, will travel with the side but may not play as he is suffering from malaria.
Experienced striker Abbasi will lead the side only on this tour as a stop-gap arrangement.
Drag-flicker and the world’s leading goal-scorer, Sohail Abbas, is back after missing the Asian Champions Trophy seeing the team’s poor penalty-corner conversion during the tournament in China.
PHF chief selector Hanif Khan said the squad is only for the Australian tour there could be changes for the Champions Trophy to be played in Auckland.
Hanif ruled out the possibility of Rehan Butt returning to the squad, saying juniors were performing excellently.
However, Pakistan Hockey Federation president Qasim Zia has a different take.
“Everybody has a chance to perform and get back in the national team, we are taking this team to Australia only, players can make a comeback and can be dropped if they don’t perform,” Zia said.
Pakistan play a Four-Nation Hockey Tournament before the International Super Hockey Series in Perth from October 20 to November 4.
The squad:
Goalkeeper: Imran Shah.
Full Backs: Mohammad Irfan (sr), Mohammad Imran and Sohail Abbas.
Halfbacks: Kashif Shah, Fareed Ahmed, Rashid Mehmood, Mohammad Tauseeq, Mohammad Rizwan and Waseem Ahmed.
Forwards: Mohammad Waqas, Umar Butta, Ali Shan, Shakeel Abbasi (captain), Mohammad Irfan (Jr), Mohammad Rizwan (Sr), Haseem Khan, Shafqat Rasool and Zubair.
Manager: Khwaja Junaid. Head Coach: Heuvel van dan Michel. Coaches: Shahid Ali Khan and Ajmal Khan Lodhi.
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Tags: abbasi, ahmed rashid, ajmal khan, ali khan, champions trophy, federation president, hanif, hockey federation, hockey series, hockey tournament, lodhi, man squad, mehmood, mohammad imran, rizwan, shafqat, sohail abbas, stop gap, waqas, waseem