Asian Champions Trophy: Abdul Hanan Shahid’s leap from teenage star to Pakistan senior side

However poor the performance of the Pakistan men’s National hockey team has been in major international competitions for nearly a decade or so, it has had a relatively steady flow of young and enterprising juniors into the senior team. In the present 20-member Pakistan squad taking part in the Asian Champions Trophy here, there are 13 players in their early to mid-20s and six in their teens. Such is the terrain of Pakistan hockey that it produces raw, uncut talent in abundance.

However poor the performance of the Pakistan men’s National hockey team has been in major international competitions for nearly a decade or so, it has had a relatively steady flow of young and enterprising juniors into the senior team.

In the present 20-member Pakistan squad taking part in the Asian Champions Trophy here, there are 13 players in their early to mid-20s and six in their teens.

Such is the terrain of Pakistan hockey that it produces raw, uncut talent in abundance.

One such find has been Abdul Hanan Shahid, a 17-year-old forward from Lahore. He has scored an impressive 10 goals in 21-odd appearances for the senior National team. He has also struck nine times in 10 matches at the juniors.

In March this year, Abdul received the Emerging Player of Asia award from FIH president Tayyab Ikram. Abdul was outstanding in the 2023 Junior Asia Cup where Pakistan finished runner-up to India as well. He also won the best player award in the event.

Hockey runs in Shahid’s genes. His grandfather’s brother Afzal Manna was a silver medallist in the 1964 Olympics and was the first member of the family to don the green jersey.

Ten players from Abdul Shahid’s family — Afzal Manna, Ghulam Ghaus, Azfar Yaqoob, Murtaza Yaqoob, Mohammad Yaqoob, Sarwar Jamshed, Anwar Jamshed, Zahid Afzal, Mujahid Afzal, Mohammad Shahid — have played international hockey in some form or other.