Asian Champions Trophy: Pakistan hockey team likely to participate without coach

F.P. Report

KARACHI: The Pakistani hockey team may be without their coach Shahnaz Sheikh during Asian Champions Trophy as he is yet to get his Indian visa.

According to sources, Sheikh hasn’t received his visa yet. He will not be able to travel alongside the national squad to India.

All the squad players received their visas after the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) was issued No-Objection Certificate (NOC) by the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB). Sheikh’s visa was applied after his appointment last week.

The national team will travel to the neighbouring country via Wagah Border tomorrow (Tuesday). They will travel to Chennai from Amritsar by road. Chennai will host the Asian event from August 3 to 12.

Pakistan are scheduled to play their first match against Malaysia on August 3. The green shirts will lock horns with arch-rivals India on August 9.

Squad: Muhammad Umar Bhatta (c), Akmal Hussain, Abdullah Ishtiaq Khan, Muhammad Abdullah, Muhammad Sufyan Khan, Ehtsham Aslam, Osama Bashir, Aqeel Ahmed, Arshad Liaquat, Muhammad Imad, Abdul Hanan Shahid, Zakaria Hayat, Rana Abdul Waheed Ashraf (Vice Captain), Roman, Muhammad Murtaza Yaqoob, Muhammad Shahzaib Khan, Afraz, Abdul Rahman, while the standby includes Ali Raza, Muhammad Baqir, Muhammad Nadeem Khan, Abdul Wahab, Waqar Ali, Muhammad Arsalan and Abdul Qayyum.

Pakistan’s schedule

August 3 – vs Malaysia
August 4 – vs Korea
August 6 – vs Japan
August 7 – vs China
August 9 – vs India.