20-member strong J and K squad for Santosh trophy

Srinagar, Sep 17 (UNI) Jammu and Kashmir has announced a 20-member strong football squad to battle it out in the 61st Santosh Trophy which commenced from September 15 in Haryana.

The squad includes three international players Ashfaq Ahmad, Mehrajuddin Wadoo and Arun Malhotra who are members of leading football clubs of the country.

The team left here today for Haryana.

''We will give our best,'' Jammu and Kashmir Football Association (JKFA) President Zameer Ahmad Thakur told UNI while seeing off the players here.

He said coach Mohammad Shafi Nari wanted a team that had some senior players to make it a perfect blend of youth and experience.

Mr Thakur said while Ashfaq Ahmad plays for Goa's Dempo Club, Mehraj-ud-din Wadoo is with Mohun Bagan and Arun Malhotra is a member of East Bengal team.

The Santosh Trophy was awarded to Haryana after Jammu and Kashmir lost the race to host the championship this year due to non-availability of the required infrastructure. The tournament will be played at Gurgaon and Faridabad in Haryana.

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