LAHORE: After receiving invitation from Hockey India (HI) for participation in next month’s Junior World Cup on Thursday, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) announced the names of 29 probables for a training camp to be held in Karachi from Oct 14.

The Junior World Cup featuring teams from 16 nations is being held in Bhubaneswar, India from Nov 24 to Dec 5.

“We have received an invitation from Hockey India today for the participation in the Junior World Cup and now the Indian High Commissioner, Islamabad will collect the passports of the Pakistani players and officials under a set procedure,” PHF secretary Asif Bajwa told Dawn on Thursday.

It may be mentioned here that Pakistan’s participation in the global event faced uncertainty after the International Hockey Federation (FIH) and HI had given only one day to the PHF to apply for Indian visas. The FIH on Sept 23 confirmed that the event would be held from Nov 24. But to apply for Indian visas the last date was Sept 24.

Asif Bajwa upbeat about getting Indian visas for Bhubaneswar-bound Pakistan squad

While showing its reservation over this very short time given to it for the visa applications, the PHF sent the names of 34 members of the Pakistan squad, including 24 players and 10 officials, on Sept 28. It may be mentioned here that the Indian High Commissioner requires a maximum 60 days to issue visas to Pakistani citizens.

When asked if the Indian Commissioner would issue the visas well on time, Bajwa said he was hopeful for that noting HI sent the invitation to the PHF on Thursday.

Pakistan could not feature in the 2016 Junior World Cup, which was also held in India, because then PHF secretary Shahbaz Ahmed Senior applied for the visas some 55 days before the start of the event. The Indian High Commissioner did not issue the visas before completing 60 days. While the FIH had been asking the PHF to confirm its travel plan and logistics arrangements in India, Shahbaz had been replying how he could confirm it when visas had not been issued yet. As a result, the FIH ousted Pakistan from the World Cup and invited Malaysia to participate. After failing to get visas, while Shahbaz issued a hard statement against HI, in response HI said it was the fault of the PHF as it was late in applying for the visas.

Dr Asad Abbas will supervise the Covid-19 testing of the probables besides making bio-secure bubbles for the players.

Danish Kaleem has been retained as head coach of the junior squad and all the probables will report to him at the Abdul Sattar Edhi Hockey Stadium, Karachi.

Probables:

Rana Waheed, Moin Shakeel, Ghazanfar Ali, Waqar (goalkeeper), Umair Sattar, Aqeel Ahmed, Abdullah Ishtiaq (goalkeeper), Roman Khan, Mohibullah, Murtaza Yaqub, Hammad Anjum, Hanan Shahid, Shahzeb Khan, Mohsin Hassan, Samiullah Khan, Arbaaz Ahmed, Rizwan Ali, Ali Aziz, Adeel Latif, Abdul Manan, Ehtesham Aslam, Abuzar, Mohsin Khan, Amir Danish Shah, Abdul Rehman, Hassan Amin, Waqar Ali, Shahzeb Khan, Mohammad Bilawal

Officials:

Danish Kaleem (head coach/camp commandant); Mudassar Ali Khan, Zaheer Ahmed Babar (coaches); Syed Abuzar Amrao (video analyst); Dr Asad Abbas Shah will perform his professional duties in the camp.

Published in Dawn, October 8th, 2021