LAHORE: Pakistan have stepped up preparations for the upcoming SAFF U-20 Championship after announcing a 26-member preliminary squad for the regional competition scheduled to take place in Maldives from March 23 to April 3.
Head coach Shehzad Anwar confirmed that the players were selected following week-long trials and training sessions held at Jinnah Stadium in Islamabad. The camp will continue in the coming days as the coaching staff evaluates combinations before trimming the squad for the final tournament roster.
Pakistan have been placed in Group B of the championship alongside regional rivals Bangladesh and India. The young Pakistani side will begin its campaign against Bangladesh on March 24 before facing India two days later in what is expected to be a crucial group encounter. The top two teams from the group will progress to the semi-final stage.
Speaking about the preparations, Anwar said the coaching staff had focused on building a balanced squad capable of competing strongly against regional opponents. He expressed confidence that the players selected through the trials had the potential to produce positive results at the tournament.
The squad reflects a broad geographic representation, with players coming from various regions including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Balochistan, Sindh and overseas-based footballers. The coaching staff hopes that the blend of domestic and expatriate talent will add depth and versatility to the team.
The goalkeeping department includes Zulqurnain from Landikotal, Adil Ali Khan from Islamabad, Kashif from South Waziristan and Ghulam Abbas from Sargodha. The defensive line features Umar Javed (Swabi), Zarib Haider (Parachinar), Majid Ali (Faisalabad), Waseem Abdul Rasheed (Karachi), Ubaid Ullah (Bhakkar), Abdul Khaliq (Chaman), Abdur Rehman (Faisalabad), Aabis Raza (Layyah) and Sheraz Khalid (Karachi).
Midfield responsibilities will rest on Ali Zafar (Quetta), Zain Imran (Melbourne), Shahab Ahmed (Chitral), Khubaib (Bannu), Owais Ilyas (Karachi), Junaid (D.I. Khan) and Mansoor Khan (Islamabad). The forward line comprises Najeeb Ullah (Bhakkar), Abdul Samad (Swat), Sajjad Hussain (Quetta), Abdullah (Rawalpindi), Faham (Islamabad) and Umar Nawaz (Peshawar/UK). Officials believe the ongoing training camp will be crucial in improving tactical discipline and team chemistry before the squad departs for the Maldives.
