LAHORE: In a surprising move, Pakistan’s captain Ammad Butt has been dropped from the squad for the FIH Hockey 5s World Cup.
Ammad Butt, who played a crucial role in the qualifiers and scored a notable goal against Malaysia, was unexpectedly excluded from the squad. The decision has raised eyebrows among fans, considering Ammad’s on-field contributions. Ammad on his return from Olympics Qualifier event raised voice over the non-payment of the players salary dues for the last six months.
The 28-year-old captain faced backlash from the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) higher-ups after taking to social media to highlight the financial struggles of hockey players. In an Instagram post, Ammad revealed that players had not received salaries for the past six months, emphasizing the lack of facilities, government support, sponsorship, media coverage, and a proper professional system.
Ammad’s exclusion from the FIH Hockey 5s World Cup squad is seen by many as a repercussion of his social media post addressing the challenges faced by hockey players in Pakistan. The captain’s departure from the squad adds another layer to the ongoing issues surrounding the management of hockey in the country.
The Hockey 5s World Cup squad is scheduled from January 28 to January 31.
The team will be led by Rana Abdul Waheed Ashraf. Olympian Shakeel Abbasi has been appointed as the head coach of the Pakistan five-a side hockey team, while Olympian Dilawar Hussain will be the team manager. Waqas Mahmood will be the physiotherapist while Junaid Akhtar will be the video operator.
The players of the Pakistan five-side hockey team include Abdullah Ishtiaq Khan, Muneebur Rahman, Muhammad Abdullah,
Murtaza Yaqub, Ghazanfar Ali, Arshad Liaquat, Zakaria Hayat Abdul Lahannan Shahid, and Moin Shakeel .