ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) on Tuesday unveiled a 20-member national squad for the upcoming FIH hockey men’s Nations cup, scheduled to take place in Kuala Lumpur from June 15 to June 21.
Ammad Butt has been appointed captain to lead the Green Shirts in the prestigious tournament, which serves as a gateway for promotion to the elite FIH Hockey Pro League.
Butt will be supported by vice-captain Rana Waheed as Pakistan competes against seven other nations, including hosts Malaysia, France, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, South Africa, and Wales.
The announcement was made at the Naseer Bunda Hockey Stadium by national team head coach Tahir Zaman, who selected the squad based on players’ performances during recent training camps.
The ceremony was attended by PHF President Tariq Bugti, Secretary Rana Mujahid, and Director General of the Pakistan Sports Board Yasir Pirzada.
The eight participating teams in Nations Cup are divided into two pools for the preliminary rounds.
The Nations Cup serves as a critical pathway for teams aspiring to ascend to the FIH Hockey Pro League. The ultimate winner will earn promotion to the 2025–26 season of the Pro League.
Pool A consists of France, Korea, South Africa, and Wales, while Pool B features Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, and Pakistan.
On the opening day, all teams will be in action. The tournament will move to classification matches and medal rounds later in the week, with semi-finals scheduled for June 20 and the final and bronze medal matches on June 21.
Pakistan squad for Nations Cup:
Goalkeepers Muneer-ur-Rehman and Abdullah Ishtiaq, along with 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.
Mohibullah and Rana Waheed will travel as reserves.
