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Asian Hockey Championship is just around the corner as we build up towards one of the most important events for Asian Hockey Teams. Pakistan Team is an integral part of the tournament and has been a dominating side
This competition has attracted a lot of attention as recently FIH had decided to allow the top 3 teams at the end of the Asia Cup, a direct entrance into the Hockey World Cup happening next year in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela, India.
As we look into the Pakistan Team, it has been quite dominant throughout the tournament.
Announced Squad
Pakistan Hockey Federation has recently confirmed it’s a 20-men squad that will travel to Jakarta, Indonesia. It is a comparatively younger side with at least 14 players who have played less than 15 matches.
The Side includes:
Ahmed Hussain (GK), Ali Mubashir, Rizwan Ali, Moin Shakeel, Abdul Rana, Abdul Shahid, Shan Ali, Rooman Khan, Ishtiaq Abdullah (GK), Umar Bhutta (Capt), Ammad Butt, Muhammad Hammaduddin, Muhammed Abdullah, Aijaz Ahmed, Abu Mahmood, Afraz, Abdul Mannan, Muhammad Razzaq, Ghazanfar Ali, Junaid Manzoor.
Pakistan Team’s Recent Performances
PHF has recently organized a Europe tour for Pakistan’s senior hockey side where they played against Holland, Belgium, and Spain, managing to win against each side. It was a better performance compared to the previous ones against the same sides.
The team coach, Siegfried Aikman, has focussed on building a young and better team. According to him, the tour had allowed him to test the bench strength of the team and build a good and strong combination for the Asia Cup.
Pakistan’s Schedule
| Date | Matches |
| 23 May | Match 4: Pakistan vs India |
| 24 May | Match 7: Pakistan vs Indonesia |
| 26 May | Match 11: Pakistan vs Japan |
The first match is against the arch-rivals India on 23 May. This match is gaining a lot of attention as AHF is confident that it will break the record of viewership for hockey matches this year.
Conclusion: Pakistan Team will have to grab at least one of the top 3 positions for World Cup participation next year. Hockey is an important sport for the Pakistan nation. Let’s hope they keep up with the expectations of the fans.
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