IPOH: Pakistan, the Asian Games champions and last year’s runners-up at the Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh, are in turmoil with star players Shakeel Abbasi and Rehan Butt ruled out for the tournament starting Wednesday.

The tournament, staged annually in the northern city of Ipoh, serves as the final warm-up before the Olympic competition begins in July.

The pair were not selected as they are currently the subject of a disciplinary inquiry by the Pakistan Hockey Federation after playing in the World Series Hockey (WSH) in India earlier this year.

Pakistan will start off against Argentina on May 24 followed by New Zealand on May 27, Korea on May 28, Malaysia on May 30, India on May 31 and Great Britain on June 2 before the matches decided on positions begin.

Favourites Great Britain, who are the highest-ranked squad in the field, will be looking for a successful tune-up for the London Olympics when play begins  on Wednesday.

The tournament, staged annually in the northern city of Ipoh, serves as the final warm-up before the Olympic competition begins in July, and world number four Great Britain are the highest-ranked squad in the field.

Britain, who came in third in last year’s tournament, will have to contend with an India side that are hitting their stride, as well as Pakistan, South Korea, Argentina, New Zealand and hosts Malaysia.

Malaysia are the only squad in the tournament that failed to qualify for London 2012. Reigning champions Australia have not made the trip to Ipoh this year.

Under coach Jason Lee, Britain have been ramping up their Games preparations in hopes of winning gold on home soil. They last topped the podium at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

Britain played an Olympic test event in London last month that also involved top-ranked Australia, world number two Germany and India.

They are expected to make a strong run in Ipoh with the likes of Ashley Jackson, Robert Moore and Richard Mantel driving the team, but former cup winners such as India loom as potential spoilers.

India have won the cup five times since 1985, most recently in 2010. Under Australian coach Michael Nobbs, the Indians have shown signs of a resurgence and their wins in the Asian Champions Trophy last year and Olympic qualifiers in February have boosted expectations.

Nobbs said he was looking forward to the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup as the squad needed further top-class contests to prepare for London.

“We are lacking in top matches to practise and this tournament offers the best opportunity to test the players at the highest level,” he said on arrival with the team in Kuala Lumpur on Monday.

India’s penalty-corner specialist Sandeep Singh said he hoped the pitch would not be slippery, so that the team could work on penalty corner execution.

“It will be a great opportunity to test our penalty corner batteries against top opposition. I will get the goals if the condition of the pitch is OK,” he said.

—AFP