After an 18-year hiatus, National Games 2025 are set to return to Karachi — and the provincial Sindh hockey team is now gearing up in full force.
Trials for both men’s and women’s squads were held in October at the KHA Sports Complex, open to players from across Sindh. International players Azlan Khan and Muhammad Naeem have been appointed as head coaches for the men’s and women’s teams respectively.
Veteran Olympic-era athlete Iftikhar Syed chaired the selection committee, which included other Olympians and representatives from Sindh’s divisions. The men’s team features players from Karachi, Larkana, Sukkur, Hyderabad, Shaheed Benazirabad, Mirpurkhas, and Dadu — with Shahzaib Khan named captain and Ubaidullah Bhutto vice-captain.
On the women’s side, Iqra Iqbal (captain) and Shafaat Zahra (vice-captain) will lead a diverse team drawn from Karachi, Sukkur, Hyderabad, Larkana, Shaheed Benazirabad and Mirpurkhas. Both teams have been instructed to assemble at the KHA Complex in Gulshan Iqbal ahead of the National Games.
Sindh’s hockey contingents now aim to deliver competitive performances in Pakistan’s largest multisport event, marking a renewed push to re-establish the province’s prominence in field hockey.