Hanif Khan strikes off Rehan, Zeeshan from Pakistan hockey
KARACHI: Former star forward and chief selector Hanif Khan said on Saturday that there was no more role for two former Pakistan captains- Rehan Butt and Zeeshan Ashraf in the future of national hockey.
Rehan Butt, Zeeshan Ashraf
“Their era has come to an end and we are now looking to raise a team without them,” he told reporters at a news conference held here at Hockey Club of Pakistan Stadium.
Zeeshan’s team finished worst-ever 12th in last year’s World Cup in New Delhi after disastrous sixth spot in 2008 Beijing Olympics.
“They (Zeeshan and Rehan) have played their role and now we have to rely on younger lot with a few seasoned players,” he said.
Hanif Khan said with the feedback from Pakistan hockey team management including chief coach Michel Ven Dan Hauvel and Manager Khawaja Junaid, “we are recalling goalkeeper Salman Akbar and full back Sohail Abbas.
“Pakistan team showed slackness in defence in Asian Champions Trophy and we are trying to strengthen our defence that is why Sohail and Salman have been included in the training camp” he said.
Pakistan team’s training camp for Australian tour starts from October 1 at Abbotabad, Hanif Khan said.
Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has named 25 probables to attend the short training camp in preparations for the Australia trip.
“Our defence and penalty corner conversion were very poor which was food for thought”, Olympian Hanif Khan, who was member of Pakistan team which won last Olympic gold medal at Los Angeles in 1984, said adding “Out of 28 short corners Pakistan could convert only six”.
“The result in the Asian Champions Trophy final was more disappointing as Pakistan failed to convert any of nine penalty corners,” he recalled.
“Considering the grim scenario we decided to include world record holder Sohail Abbas,” he remarked.
He expressed the hope that Pakistan will be able to raise a good team for London Olympics. He said if Pakistan team finished among the top four it will be a good result.
“If Pakistan would be able to finish among the top four in Champions Trophy in New Zealand it can stand on rostrum in Olympics in London” , he hoped.
Following have been invited for training camp. Muhammad Imran, Shakeel Abbas, Syed Kashif Shah, Imran Butt, Muhammad Rizwan, Waseem Ahmad, Rashid Mehmood, Fareed Ahmed, Muhammad Tousiq, Muhammad Waqas, Sohail Abbas, Muhammad Rizwan, Muhammad Zubair, Muhammmad Imran, Abdul Haseem Khan, Imran Shah, Muhammad Umar Bhutta, Muhammad Irfan, Shafqat Rasool, Muhammad Kashif Javed, Ali Shan, Muhammad Irfan, Salman Akbar, Tasawwar Abbas and Muhammad Suleman.
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