ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup will be played in Kuala Lumpur from June 15 to June 21, according to the officials.
The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has announced a 20-member national squad, appointing Imad Butt as captain for the upcoming tournament.
The tournament is crucial for promotion to the elite FIH Hockey Pro League.
Imad will lead the Green Shirts in the eight-team competition, which also features hosts Malaysia, France, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, South Africa and Wales. Rana Waheed has been named vice-captain for the campaign.
The squad includes goalkeepers Muneer-ur-Rehman and Abdullah Ishtiaq, alongside field players Mohammad Abdullah, Mohammad Sufyan Khan, Abdul Manan, Hamad Anjum, Arshad Liaquat, Moeen Shakeel, Zakrya Hayat, Ghazanfar Ali, Salman Razaq, Junaid Manzoor, Afraz Khan, Abdul Rehman and Ahmed Nadeem. Players Mohibullah and Rana Waleed will travel as reserves.
National team head coach Tahir Zaman announced the squad at the Naseer Bunda Hockey Stadium Lahore. He selected the squad based on player performance during the training camps.
FIH Hockey Pro League
Victory in the Nations Cup would secure Pakistan direct qualification for the 2025-26 season of the FIH Hockey Pro League.
The FIH confirmed the event’s significance on its website, stating: “The Nations Cup serves as a critical pathway for teams aspiring to ascend to the FIH Hockey Pro League. The ultimate winner will earn the opportunity to be promoted to the 2025–26 season of the FIH Hockey Pro League.”
For the tournament, teams have been divided into two pools for the preliminary round.
Pool A consists of France, Korea, South Africa and Wales. Pool B comprises Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand and Pakistan.
According to the FIH, all eight teams will play on the opening day. The schedule features France against Korea and South Africa versus Wales in Pool A. Pool B matches will see New Zealand take on Japan, followed by hosts Malaysia facing Pakistan.
The tournament’s semi-finals will be played on June 20 and the final and bronze medal match on June 21.
