PHF axes Sohail Abbas, Rehan Butt and Salman Akbar
LAHOR: As has been reported, the troika of senior players, namely Sohail Abbas, Rehan Butt and Salman Akbar, were not selected by the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) in the 26 probables to attend the training camp for the first Asian Champions Trophy, starting in China from Sept 3.
The PHF has mentioned that Abbas and Butt are not included since the national selection committee decided to give them rest.
It, however, did not clarify why goalkeeper Akbar was not included.
Sources say that Akbar and Butt were involved in disciplinary cases during the last tour of Europe due to which the PHF did not select them.
Abbas, however, was actually given a rest, the sources claimed.
The following players will report on Aug 10 to camp commandant Khawaja Junaid at the Naseer Bunda Stadium, Islamabad:Mohammad Imran, Shakeel Abbasi, Kashif Shah, Imran Butt, Mohammad Rizwan Jr, Waseem Ahmed, Rashid Mehmood, Fareed Ahmed, Mohammad Tousiq, Mohammad Waqas, Mohammad Khalid, Mohammad Rizwan Sr, Mohammad Zubair, Mohammad Imran Jr, Abdul Haseem Khan, Imran Shah, Waqas Akbar, Umar Bhutta, Mohammad Irfan, Shafqat Rasool, Kashif Javed, Ali Shan, Arsalan Qadir, Mohammad Irfan Jr, Mazhar Abbas and Bilal Qadir.