ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has announced an extensive schedule for nationwide open trials for the Under-18 and senior teams, along with the commencement of the national senior team’s training camp, following approval from PHF President Mohiuddin Ahmed Wani.
According to an official statement, the ongoing National Under-18 Hockey Championship in Islamabad from April 9 to 19 will serve as a primary platform for talent identification, with the selection committee closely monitoring players’ performances throughout the tournament.
For those unable to participate in the championship, separate trials will be conducted in Islamabad on April 20 and 21. The proceedings will be overseen by the national selection panel, including Chairman Selection Committee Olympian Samiullah, ensuring that no promising talent goes unnoticed.
In addition, open trials for the Under-18 category will take place in Lahore on April 16 under the supervision of Samiullah, alongside selectors Atif Bashir and M. Khalid, and Head Coach Qamar Ibrahim.
For the senior national side, open trials are scheduled to begin on April 13 at the Abdul Sattar Edhi Hockey Stadium in Karachi. However, 28 players from the previous national squad and those on the standby list have been exempted from these trials. Further senior team trials will be conducted in Lahore on April 15, followed by another phase in Peshawar on April 23. These sessions will be attended by the PHF Selection Committee and Head Coach Olympian Manzoor-ul-Hasan.
The PHF has also confirmed that the Pakistan senior team’s preparatory camp will commence in Islamabad from May 1, marking a crucial phase in the team’s buildup for upcoming international commitments.
