RAWALPINDI - As many as 35 players were shortlisted for final trials to select Punjab U-19 hockey team for the coming National U-19 Hockey Championship 2019 to be held in Karachi from January 20.
Former Pakistan-A goalkeeper Muhammad Yasin, who is also the representative of Punjab Hockey Association (PHA) along with Rana Liaqat, conducted the trials on the last day. As many as 100 plus kids from Rawalpindi, Wah, Gujar Khan, Sialkot, Mandi Bahhuddin, Gujranawala and adjacent areas arrived at Shahnaz Sheikh Hockey Stadium at 11am turned up on the second and last day of trials, which continued for five hours without any break.
After two-days of trials, 35 players were shortlisted for final trials to be held in Lahore. The short-listed players are Zain Shah, Badar Zaman, Moazam Hayat, M Ihsan, M Subhan, M Abdullah, Suleman Tariq, M Dilpazeer, Hassan Ali, M Suleman, Khubab Ahmed, Khizer Hayat, Kaleem Akhtar, M Hamza, Aqeel, Muslim Khan, Kashif Dastagir, Wajahat, Sameer, Saifullah, Muzammil, Hammad Zamir, Adeel, Fasif, Sikandar, Shahab-ud-din, Mehar Ali, Ahmed Mustafa, Umer Mustafa, Usman Mustafa, Taimoor, Hammad, Kashif, Saleh Muhammad and Tauqir Hassan.
Talking to The Nation, Yasin said: “I am impressed with the talent of the young guns, which clearly indicated that if federation and associations want and try, they can dig deep and find fresh grassroots talent. They are amazing and talented bunch of players and if they are given proper training and guidance, they are bound to excel.
“In less than three months, I along with my Rawalpindi Hockey Association colleagues managed to arrange six tournaments. DSO Rawalpindi Abdul Waheed Babar always lent a helping hand to us. Rawalpindi has given so many Olympians to national hockey team and I can assure that we are more than capable of providing fresh players to the national team,” Yasin concluded.