ISLAMABAD: The 8th edition of the Asian Hockey Champions Trophy kicks off tomorrow (September 8) at the Moqi training base in Hulunbuir City, Mongolia.
Pakistan’s newly appointed head coach, Tahir Zaman, has joined the team in Hulunbuir, where Pakistan will face Malaysia in their opening match. The game is scheduled to start at 12:45 pm tomorrow Pakistan Standard Time.
The tournament features six teams: India, China, Pakistan, Malaysia, Japan, and Korea. Defending champions India are aiming to secure their fifth title, building on their recent bronze medal performance at the Paris Olympics.
Asian Champions Trophy Format
The competition begins with a league stage comprising 15 matches. Teams finishing fifth and sixth will compete in the fifth-place match, while the top four teams will advance to the semi-finals.
In the semi-finals, the first-placed team will play against the fourth-placed team, and the second-placed team will face the third-placed team. The semi-final losers will contest the third-place match, with the final scheduled for September 17 to determine the champions.
Pakistan Squad
Abdul Rehman, Ahmad Ajaz, Ali Ghazanfar, Butt Ammad, Hammadudin Muhammad, Hayat Zikriya, Khan Abdullah Ishtiaq, Khan Sufyan, Liaqat Arshad, Mahmood Abu, Nadeem Ahmad, Qadir Faisal, Rana Waheed Ashraf, Razzaq Salman, Rooman, Shahid Hannan, Shakeel Moin, Ur-Rehman Muneeb