ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has unveiled an extensive training camp for the national junior squad as preparations intensify for the Men’s U-18 Junior Asia Cup scheduled in Japan.
The national training camp will run from April 28 to May 25 at the Naseer Banda Hockey Stadium. All selected players and officials have been directed to report to Head Coach Qamar Ibrahim by 5:00 pm on April 28, marking the start of an intensive preparation phase.
Six goalkeepers have been named for the camp, representing various departments and regions, underlining PHF’s commitment to tapping talent from across the country. The defensive and midfield units feature a balanced combination of experienced campaigners and emerging prospects, aimed at building a solid and cohesive structure. The forward line boasts the largest pool, with 23 players drafted in a clear indication of the management’s emphasis on strengthening Pakistan’s attacking edge. The move is seen as an effort to revive the traditional aggressive flair that once defined the country’s hockey dominance.
Additionally, 14 players have been placed on standby to ensure depth and cover for any unforeseen circumstances during the preparation period. All players have been instructed to report with essential documents, including valid passports, departmental NOCs, photographs, and complete playing kits, in line with international requirements.
Six goalkeepers have been selected for the camp: Customs’ Ghulam Mustafa, Army’s Muzammil Umar, Sindh’s Noman Khan, Punjab’s Hamza Khalid, Gilgit-Baltistan’s Maysam Abbas and Balochistan’s Hanif Shahid.
To strengthen the defensive line, Asim Haider, Hassan Akbar (Customs), Muzammil Saeed (Army), Noman Hanif (Punjab), Rohan Khan (Sindh), Ehsan, Uzair and Hassan Niaz (KPK) have been called up. Usman Baig, Asnan Khan, Zaman Gujjar (Customs), Waqas Naeem, Aman Hussain, Abdullah, Shahidullah (Punjab), Usman Asghar (Army) and Usman Ghani (Sindh) have been called for the midfield.
The maximum number of players (23) have been given a chance in the forward line: Muhammad Usman, Abdullah Awan, Adeel Afzal, Muhammad Hamza, Yahya Najeeb (Customs), Ali Hanzala, Salman Yasin, Shoaib Sultan, Zain (Army), Rana Abdul Sami, Zaneer, Abu Sufyan, Farhan Aslam, Hussain Noor, Zain Abid, Arsalan, Ehsan Elahi, Taimur (Punjab), Sharjeel, Abbas (KPK), Abdul Basit (Islamabad), Faizan and Fakhir Nasir (Sindh).
