The Pakistan hockey team is still awaiting a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Government of Pakistan to participate in the upcoming Asian Champions Trophy, scheduled to be held in Chennai, India.
According to sources, the Pakistani team’s flight is scheduled for July 31, and the event is set to begin on August 3 in Chennai. The team has already obtained Indian visas, and the NOC has been issued by the Interior Ministry.
However, as of today, the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have not issued the NOC, causing concern for the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF). The federation is eagerly awaiting communication from the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination regarding the NOC.
Notably, the PHF has not yet been officially informed about the NOC, and the next working day in the country will be the last before the Muharram holidays.
Earlier reports suggest that Olympian Shahnaz Sheikh is likely to be appointed as the head coach of Pakistan’s senior hockey team for the Asian Champions Trophy. Shahnaz, who recently joined as a team consultant, has already started working with the players. It is anticipated that Olympian Rehan Butt will serve as the assistant coach.
The Pakistan senior hockey team has already begun their practice matches and recently secured a 4-0 victory against the combined team of Dar Academy and Rana Zaheer Academy. Both of these academies are well-known for producing some of the country’s top hockey talent.
The squad for the Asian Champions Trophy includes Muhammad Umar Bhatti (c), Akmal Hussain, Abdullah Ishtiaq Khan, Muhammad Abdullah, Muhammad Sufyan Khan, Ehtsham Aslam, Osama Bashir, Aqeel Ahmed, Arshad Liaquat, Muhammad Imad, Abdul Hanan Shahid, Zakaria Hayat, Rana Abdul Waheed Ashraf (Vice Captain), Roman, Muhammad Murtaza Yaqoob, Muhammad Shahzaib Khan, Afraz, and Abdul Rahman, with Ali Raza, Muhammad Baqir, Muhammad Nadeem Khan, Abdul Wahab, Waqar Ali, Muhammad Arsalan, and Abdul Qayyum as standby players.
The team’s schedule for the Asian Champions Trophy is as follows:
- August 3: vs Malaysia
- August 4: vs Korea
- August 6: vs Japan
- August 7: vs China
- August 9: vs India
