U18 Hockey Asia Cup Faces Setback for Pakistan Team

Pakistan’s U18 hockey team is encountering a significant obstacle before the U18 Hockey Asia Cup as visa delays have impeded the team’s journey to China.

The competition has commenced in Dongzhou, and Pakistan’s non-attendance at the opening ceremony has stirred apprehensions about their involvement.

On the opening day, Japan triumphed over Indonesia with a score of 10-0, while Bangladesh secured a 3-0 victory against Hong Kong, establishing a vigorous tempo for the tournament.

The national team is scheduled to compete against Hong Kong on July 4 in their first match, followed by games against Sri Lanka (July 6), Bangladesh (July 8), and China (July 9).

However, the team’s participation in the opening game may be jeopardized if they cannot depart for China by the end of today.

The U18 Hockey Asia Cup showcases teams from 11 nations, including China, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Japan, Chinese Taipei, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, and Kazakhstan.

Pakistan finds itself in Pool A with China, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Hong Kong, while Pool B comprises Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Chinese Taipei.

Squad:

Mohammad Usman, Atif Ali, Asam Junaid, Mohammad Abdullah Farooq, Abdullah Awan, Zubair Lateef, Mohammad Yaseen, Mohammad Ali Taj, Ghulam Mustafa, Ali Hamza, Ali Hamzad, Aamir Sohail, Adeel Afzal, Mohammad Zaman, Mohammad Hussain, Mohammad Shaheer, Hasan Shahbaz, Yaseen Jamshaid

Team Management:

Shafqat Malik (Manager), Mukhtar Ahmed, Touseeq Ahmed, Masood-ur-Rahman (Coaches)