Drag-flick specialist Sohail Abbas has been named as captain of the Pakistan hockey team that will play in the Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia later this month.
Abbas will be assisted by Waqas Sharif who as been named as vice captain for the tournament.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Chief Selector Hanif Khan and Manager Khawaja Junaid announced the squad. Six players of the junior team who were in Malaysian to play the Junior Asia Cup were also selected in the team. Rizwan Junior, Kashif Sheikh Khalid, Bhutta and Abdul Haseem Khan are the junior team members who will for the Senior team in the Azlan Shah Cup.
The 21st Azlan Shah Hockey Tournament will get under way in Malaysian city of IPOH on May 26.
Penalty corner specialist and world record holder Sohail Abbas has been handed the captaincy for the first time in his career.
The team will leave for Kuala Lumpur on May 18 from Lahore. The seven-nation hockey tournament will be played on league basis.
National hockey chief selector Hanif Khan supervised trials of players for the tournament at Naseer Banda Hockey Stadium, Islamabad. Other players selected for the tournament are: Imran Shah, Farid Ahmed, Rashied Mehmood, Mohammad Waqas, Mohammad Zubair, Umer Bhutta, Imran Butt, Shafqat Rasool, Mohammad Irfan, Mohammad Rizwan Junior, Mohammad Taufeeq, Shabbir Ahmed Khan, Ali Shah, Kashif Shah and Khalid Yahya.
