ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) announced an 18-member national squad for the European tour after conclusion of trials at the Naseer Bunda Hockey Stadium here on Tuesday.
Mohammad Imran will lead the side.
According to the PHF, the squad is scheduled to play four-nation tournament in Dublin from June 20 along with China, France and Ireland.
It would be followed by the four-nation Rabo Trophy in Amstelveen, Holland, from June 28. Teams from Germany, Holland and England would feature alongside Pakistan at the event.
Besides the two events, Pakistan will also be playing training matches against New Zealand, Belgium and the Netherlands.
Few senior members of the squad believe that a win against the European outfits would help Pakistan tackle them better at the 2012 Olympics.
“Success on the tour will definitely be an encouraging sign for us,” Pakistan’s drag-flicker Sohail Abbas told Dawn.
“The European tour is of great importance for us because teams from Germany and Holland will be playing there, besides young players will learn about the pressure tactics used by them [European teams],” said Sohail.
Pakistan’s centre-half Waseem Ahmed, 34, added: “If you win against teams like Germany and Holland, it will infuse confidence among the team members and right now winning the Rabo Trophy is our target.”
Squad: Mohammad Imran (captain), Salman Akbar (goalkeeper), Sohail Abbas, Mohammad Irfan, Waseem Ahmad, Mohammad Tousiq, Fareed Ahmed, Rashid Mahmood, Waqas Sharif, Abdul Haseem Khan, Mohammad Rizwan Senior, Mohammad Zubair, Waqas Akbar, Kashif Shah, Rehan Butt, Shakeel Abbasi, Shafqat Rasool, Imran Shah (goalkeeper).
Officials: Khawaja Junaid (team manager), Michel Heuvel (head coach), Shahid Ali Khan (assistant coach), Ajmal Khan Lodhi (assistant coach), Faiz-ur-Rehman (physiotherapist), Nadeem Khan Lodhi (video analyst).
European schedule: Four-nation tournament in Dublin: June 20: Pakistan v France, China v Ireland June 22: China v Pakistan, France v Ireland June 24: France v China, Pakistan v Ireland June 25: Third place play-off and final. Four-nation Rabo Tournament in Amstelveen, Netherlands: June 28: Germany v England, Pakistan v Holland June 29: England v Pakistan, Holland v Germany July 1: Germany v Pakistan, England v Holland July 2: 3rd in pool v 4th in pool, 1st in pool v 2nd in pool
Training matches: July 8: Pakistan v New Zealand July 10: Pakistan v Belgium July 11: Pakistan v Belgium July 15: Pakistan v Holland July 16: Pakistan v Holland
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