PESHAWAR
A total 24 players out of 165 appeared in a two-day trial held in connection with the Prime Minister Youth Talent Hunt Project at Qazi Mohib Hockey Stadium, Bannu on Monday.
The selection committee headed by former international and Director Physical Education Waqas Ahmad, former Pakistan Wapda goal-keeper Muhammad Younus, international full-back Amjad Ali and Abdul Khaliq have thoroughly monitored the performance of players among all the 165 players registered online on Prime Minister Portal for the game of hockey in Bannu Region before short-listing 24 players, 18 members team and six standbys.
Director of Distance Education System Dr. Noorzada, Regional Sports Officer Bannu Shafqat Ullah, District Sports Officer Adil Shah, Secretary Bannu Hockey Association Haji Naeem, Coach Barkat, former international full-back Asmat Ullah were also present with him.
According to the selection committee, twenty-four players were selected, including goalkeepers Waseem and Kaleem, while the names of Faizan Sami, Afnan, and Zeeshan Bustan were finalized in the fullbacks, and Hasan Raza, Sohail Shiraz, Uzair and Saqib Hayat have selected as half-backs and in the forwards line-up including Saqib Khan, Sajid, Muhammad Zubair, Mujeebullah, Muhammad Tahir, Ahmad Ullah, Faizan Khan, Nadeem Khan and Mamun-ur-Rahim. According to the selection committee, Mustafa, Muzamil, Saadullah, Faisal Khan, Hasnain and Muneeb Qureshi will be the standbys.
It should be noted that Bannu is known all over the world for hockey because this soil produced hockey Olympians former skipper and gold medalist of the Rome Olympic Brig. Abdul Hamid Hamidi, former Pakistan team two teams captain Olympian Rashid Junior, former national team captain Qazi Mohib and Olympian Farhat Khan with scores of international hockey players who represented Bannu in various international teams at the National Junior and National Senior levels.
Bannu district is known for hockey talent at the world level and the area is playing an important role in bringing the name of Pakistan to lame light in the world of hockey. Besides this Bannu has produced hundreds of international players due to which Bannu has got the status of a Hockey Academy of the country.
