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Pakistan axe hockey captain Imran, recall Rehan Butt Back To Main

KARACHI: Pakistan on Friday dumped three of their leading hockey players including the team’s captain less than six months before the start of Olympic Games 2012 in London, triggering speculations that all is not well in the state of national hockey.

National selectors axed skipper Mohammad Imran, influential midfielder Waseem Ahmed and celebrated goalkeeper Salman Akbar from a preliminary squad for the London Games to be held in July-August.

The move came soon after reports that some of Pakistan’s top players were preparing to feature in the unsanctioned World Series Hockey which will begin in India on February 29. However, Pakistan’s chief selector Hanif Khan stressed that the trio have been dropped on the basis of poor form and below-par fitness.

“We have no idea whether any (Pakistani) player is getting ready to play in the rebel Indian league,” Hanif told ‘The News’ on Friday. “But what I can say for sure is that the three players have been dropped because of their form and fitness,” added the former Olympian.

Hanif tried to play down the axing, saying that Pakistan have enough talent to fill in for the trio. But it’s certainly a very surprising move and could prove to be a blow to Pakistan’s already slim chances of winning a medal in London.

Till a few days back, all three of them were regarded among Pakistan’s key players. Imran, a talented defender, has been a favourite of top Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) officials, who preferred him over more senior players like Sohail Abbas for national team’s captaincy.

Waseem, a seasoned playmaker, is counted among the most accomplished hockey players in Pakistan while Salman is regarded by many as the country’s number one goalie. “There is no doubt that they were among our leading players but the thing is that the trio have flopped miserably in recent times, especially at (last December’s) Champions Trophy,” said Hanif.

Hanif said that the trio’s below-par showing in the Champions Trophy in New Zealand was one of the chief reasons why Pakistan crashed to an embarrassing seventh-place finish in the eight-nation contest.

“More recently in the National Hockey Championship, these players were once again found lacking in terms of both form and fitness which is why the selectors decided that it was time to bring in younger players to replace them.”