Pakistan junior team Coach Khawaja Junaid said that the players could not become world-class players unless they are exposed against top teams in the international arena. - File Photo

The squad was selected after one-day trials in Islamabad.

Squad

Goalkeepers Mazhar Abbas, Adnan Shakoor.
Fullbacks Mohammad Amir Sultan, Mohammad Usman Aslam, Waseem Iqbal.
Halves Mohammad Rizwan, Kashif Shah (captain), Mohammad Amir Ashiq, Mohammad Suhaib.

Forwards Mohammad Umair (vice-captain), Mohammad Irfan, Arsalan Qadir, Mohammad Adnan, Ahmad Zubair, Mohammad Salman, Sheharyar, Shujaat Ali, Ali Shan.

Standbys Ali Haider, Yasir Ali, Fahad Khan, Mohammad Junaid, Abdul Karim, Mohammad Zuhaib, Kamran Asif.

Officials Khawaja Junaid (head coach); Anjum Saeed, Danish Kaleem and Ajmal Khan (coaches); Dr Asad Abbas Shah (team doctor).

PPI adds Pakistan junior team Coach Khawaja Junaid Monday said that the players could not become world-class players unless they are exposed against top teams in the international arena.

“Players would not gain anything by playing against lowly-ranked teams and by winning matches against them even by good margins. We only look for consolation by playing against weak teams and bag some victories. However, this would only make the situation worse and the teams be they senior or junior would gain nothing and learn nothing,” Khawaja Junaid said.

He added that when organising matches for the national junior and senior teams, we should contentrate more on the top teams of the world.

“The federation is doing a good thing by organising this tour for the national junior team against top teams such as Holland.”

Pakistan junior hockey team will play a tri-nation series in Holland from June 25 to 28, in which Belgium would also participate along with the host team. On June 29, the team will leave for Belgium to play three test matches against the hosts.

“Our players need to be exposed against tough European conditions. They will learn a lot by playing against Holland while also getting accustomed to the adverse conditions there. The European teams are advancing by leaps and bounds. Therefore, we also need to learn from them, which may enable us to beat them in major tournaments,” Junaid explained.

About the 18-member squad of the junior hockey team announced on Monday, Junaid said “We kept in mind that only those players be included in the junior side who could give around 10 to 12 years to the country, first as junior player and later in the senior squad.”

About his recent stint with the senior side, he said “We brought in young players in the national senior team for the Azlan Shah Cup and our side gave some good performance in the tournament. We were in contest for the final berth till late in the competition, however, some wrong decisions from the referee and our sheer bad luck pushed us back and we ended fifth,” Junaid recollected.

He said it was a good experience and added that the young players play with passion and try to put in their best in every game. He also said that they are trying to make the structure for the junior team comparable to the senior side.

“We are dealing with our junior players as we deal with our senior players. We are trying to devise a structure for the juniors that is comparable to the senior side. It would enable the junior players to easily accommodate the senior side whenever the need arises.”