Four goalkeepers to be sent to Lahore camp

KARACHI: At least four players from the ongoing training camp of the goalkeepers in Karachi under the supervision of Olympian Shahid Ali Khan will be sent to the Pakistan senior team’s camp in Lahore, ‘The News’ learnt on Saturday.

There was not a single goalkeeper among the 60 players training in Lahore, sources said.

They added that Amjad Ali, Muneebur Rehman, Vaqas and another goalkeeper would be needed in the seniors’ training camp where regular match practice would be started in a couple of days.

Inducting the goalkeepers was a must to create defence combinations, the sources said.

Pakistan are to play their first match of FIH Pro League on February 3 in Argentina. Experienced goalkeeper Imran Butt announced retirement from international hockey after the debacle of 2018 Hockey World Cup. Pakistan desperately need vibrant goalkeepers.

Poor goalkeeping was one of the main reasons for Pakistan’s disastrous performance in the world Cup.

At the Karachi camp, former Pakistan goalkeeper Shahid Ali Khan is training young goalkeepers important aspects and techniques of modern-day goalkeeping.