LAHORE: Dar Hockey Academy’s under-18 squad left for the Malaysian city of Ipoh for 10 days on Saturday.

President of the academy former Olympian Tauqeer Dar saw off the team at the airport.

The team will take part in the under-18 Boys Raja Ashman Shah AHF-MHC hockey tournament.

RAS Hockey Academy, Sukma Perak 2018, Dar Hockey Academy and Sukan Tuanku Mahkota Ismail Hockey Club are participating in the tournament.

Before the start of the tournament, Dar Academy will play three club matches on Nov 21, 22 and 23.

“Hockey has given my family and I a lot of respect and honour throughout the world and now it is our duty to pay it back, and all Olympians should start such kind of project to keep alive the game of hockey in the country,” Tauqeer said.

Head coach ex-Olympian Danish Kaleem said his players had worked hard in the three-week-long training camp and it would deliver good results.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: M. Waqas, M. Awais.

Defenders: Abid Bhatti, Mubashir, Aqeel Rao, Gul Sher Khan, Asif Hanif, Anwar-ul-Haq, M. Bilal.

Forwards: Ali Aziz, Awais, Usman, Zulqarnain, Waseem Akram, Farhan and Hafiz Hamad.

Officials:

Urfan Zia (manger); Danish Kaleem (head coach); M. Ijaz and Sultan Ashraf (coaches).

Published in Dawn, November 20th, 2016