Visas issued, hockey team to leave for Europe today

ISLAMABAD: The Europe-bound Pakistan hockey team took a sigh of relief as visas for the entire contingent were issued Thursday, enabling the traveling squad to leave for Holland early Friday morning.

The 20-member team will be led by Umar Bhutta on a fifteen-day trip to Europe where the team will be playing six international matches before the start of the Asia Cup to be held in Jakarta from May 21.

“We have received all our visas and are now flying out to Holland early Friday morning to give the national outfit a much-needed international exposure ahead of the Asia Cup which will also serve as World Cup qualifying round,” Khawaja Junaid, the manager designate of the national outfit, said.

The former Olympian called the tour important for the Pakistan hockey future. “With Asia Cup just around the corner, the tour to Europe holds immense importance. Experience against the best European teams is what our top players required. Hopefully, the team members will emerge as better players following the six Test matches they are scheduled to play against Holland, Belgium and Spain. These are the best European sides. All these outfits have been busy playing FIH Pro League. The performance and results against the best of teams will give us a true picture of the strength and combinations of the Greenshirts.”

The team is expected to return on May 5 where the second phase of training for the Asia Cup preparations will start from the second week of May.

Goalkeepers: Akmal and Abdullah Ishtiaq

Defenders: Mubbasher Ali; Amad Butt; Mohammad Abdullah; Arbaz Ali; Mohammad Rizwan and Hammad Anjum

Midfielders: Umar Bhutta (captain); Ali Shaan (vice-captain); Ghazzanfer; Moin Shakeel; Abdul Manan and Junaid Manzoor.

Forwards: Abubaker Mehmood; Roman Khan; Rana Waheed; Hanan Shahid; Salman Razak and Ajaz

Manager: Khawaja Junaid

Coach: Siegfried Aikman

Assistant coach: Waseem Ahmad

Video analyst: Nadeem Lodhi.