LAHORE: Pakistan under 21 hockey team left for the tour of Spain and Netherlands Sunday night in its second leg of European tour.
In Spain, Pakistan faces hosts’ national junior side in a three test series, a spokesman of Pakistan Hockey Federation said here on Monday. While in Netherlands, they would play matches against some of the top teams from Hoofdklasse (Netherlands Premier Division).
It is worth mentioning that the Netherlands’ league is the most competitive domestic hockey competition in the world with top sides fielding international stars from different countries.
The European tour is a part of preparation for the Junior World Cup to be held in Lucknow, India later this year.
(Players), Muhammad Dilber, Azfar Yaqoob, Muhammad Atiq, Bilal Qadir, Ali Raza, Atif Mushtaq, Abu Bakar Mahmood, Ammad Shakeel Butt, Junaid Kamal, Shan Irshad, Rana Suhail Riaz, Talal Khalid, Hassan Anwar, Faizan, Mubashar Ali and Muhammad Usman.
Three players, Samiuallah (PAF), Fahadullah (PAF) and Mohsin Sabir (Navy), would join the team in a few days after completing their engagements with their respective teams in the ongoing inter services tournament.
Team officials are, Brig (Rtd) Khalid Mukhtar Farani-Team Manager, Tahir Zaman, Head Coach, Zeeshan Ashraf, Coach, Muhammad Irfan, Asstt. Coach, Zahid Ali, Video Analyst and Nutritionist Ghazanfar Ali.
