Abdul Hanan Shahid to lead Green Shirts, Pakistan to face India on October 27
Abdul Jabbar Faisal
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) on Tuesday unfolded the names of players and officials for the forthcoming international hockey fixture, the Sultan Johor Hockey Cup, which will be played at Taman Daya Hockey Stadium in Johor Bahru, Malaysia from October 27 to November 4, 2023.
According to an official of PHF, after the approval of the President PHF Brigadier (Retd) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar, 21 junior players and 7 officials have been announced for the 11th Sultan Johor Hockey Cup 2023. Besides Pakistan, Australia, India, Germany, Great Britain, Malaysia, New Zealand, and South Africa will participate in the nine-day prestigious hockey showpiece.
All eight teams have been divided into two Pools. Australia, Germany, Great Britain, and South Africa are in Pool A while host Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, and three times champions India are in Pool B. India will defend the title, as they defeated Australia in the final of 2022.
Names of players (21): Ali Raza (Punjab), Abdul Rafi (Sindh), Arbaaz Ahmed (Vice-Captain-Mari Petroleum), Mohammad Sufyan Khan (Mari Petroleum), Ehtisham Aslam (Mari Petroleum), Murtaza Yaqub (WAPDA), Arbaaz Ayaz (Sindh), Zakaria Hayat (Navy), Arshad Liaquat (Mari Petroleum), Abuzar (Customs), Abdul Wahab (Sindh), Abdul Qayyum (Customs), Abdul Hanan Shahid (Captain-WAPDA), Basharat Ali (Navy), Hamza Fayyaz (Customs), Abdul Rehman (WAPDA), Ghazanfar Ali (Customs), Rana Waleed (Navy), Mohammad Arsalan (Punjab), Mohammad Imad (Customs) and Faizan Janjua, goalkeeper (Customs).
Team Officials: Lt. Col (Retd) Asif Naz Khokhar (manager), Olympian Abdul Hanif Khan (head coach), Roelment Oltamans (consultant), Asif Ahmed Khan (coach), Mohammad Ali (coach), Olympian Shakeel Abbasi (coach), video analyst Nadeem Khan Lodhi (video analyst).
Schedule:
27 October 2023: India vs Pakistan
27 October 2023: Malaysia vs New Zealand
27 October 2023: Australia vs Great Britain
28 October 2023: Germany vs South Africa
28 October 2023: Pakistan vs New Zealand
28 October 2023: Malaysia vs India
30 October 2023: South Africa vs Great Britain
30 October 2023: Australia vs Germany
30 October 2023: India vs New Zealand
31 October 2023: Germany vs Great Britain
31 October 2023: South Africa vs Australia
31 October 2023: Pakistan vs Malaysia
November 3, 2023: Semifinals
November 4, 2023: final
