Wasim, Akhtar pull out of Azlan Shan

by Ubaid-ur-Rehman Awan

KARACHI: The training camp of Pakistan’s hockey team for the upcoming Azlan Shah Hockey Tournament hasn’t started as yet but chaos has started to take grip as after skipper Zeeshan Ashraf withdrew his name from the tournament, two more senior players have pulled out of the tournament.

Sources in the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) told The Sports Encounter Tuesday that Wasim Ahmed and Akhtar Ali have requested the PHF not to consider their names for the selection as they want to take rest.

The hockey camp is starting from April 22 in Karachi. The positive news came a couple of days earlier when Zeeshan Ashraf came out of his retirement but at the same time he pulled out of the Azlan Shah tournament, after which, former captain Wasim Akhtar and Akhtar Ali also followed the suit.

Sources told TSE that two more senior players, former captain Rehan Butt and penalty corner specialist Sohail Abbas have also been told by the PHF top authorities to take rest, following which, their inclusion in the Azlan Shah team is highly unlikely.