Pakistan recall Sohail Abbas for Champions Trophy

Lahore, July 14 (UNI) Pakistan have recalled penalty corner specialist Sohail Abbas and former captain Waseem Ahmed in the 18-member squad to be led by Ghzanfar Ali for the Champions Trophy in Spain from July 22 to 30.

''We found them in perfect physical shape and they also demonstrated the same skill and agility in the trials,'' Pakistan Hockey Federation selection committee Chairman Khalid Mahmood told reporters after the day-long trials at the Abbottabad Hockey Ground.

The team will leave for Spain on July 18 and Mahmood said Abbas and Ahmed will strengthen the Pakistani bid for the title.

Abbas and Ahmed had announced retirement after the 2004 Champions Trophy, which was played here. Later both the senior players expressed a desire to return to international action after stints with clubs in Europe.

Ali, who will be skippering the side in the absence of regular captain Muhammad Saqlain, will be deputed by Rhan Butt. While Saqlain is serving a three-match ban for breaching the International Hockey federation (FIH) code of conduct, regular vice-captain Mudassar Ali is nursing a knee injury.

The team: Goalkeepers: Salman Akber and Nasir Ahmed.

Fullbacks: Sohail Abbas, Zeeshan Ashraf, Ehsanullah Khan Muhamad Imran.

Halfbacks: Adnan Maqsood, Ghazanfer Ali, Muhammad Saqlain, Dilawar Hussain, Waseem Ahmad Forwards: Rehan Butt, Adnan Zakir, Shakeel Abbasi, Salim Khalid, Akhtar Ali, Waqas Shariff, Zubair.

Coach: Asif Bajwa UNI XC PM SHB KN1203