23 JANUARY 2010
11th South Asian Games 2010
PFF Chief approves Arif Mehmood  as captain : Pakistan team announced
Lahore, 23  January  : Pakistan Football Federation (PFF)’s President Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat has approved  Pakistan WAPDA’s striker Arif Mehmood as captain of Pakistan U23 team which will appear in 11th South Asian Games 2010. The Bangladeshi capital would host the 11th South Asian Games from 29 January – 9 February 2010. However,  the U23 football event,  comprising 16 matches, will be  played at Dhaka and Chittagong  from 28 January to 8 February. NBP’s skipper and midfielder Abdul Aziz, who struck all important winner against India in final of the event six years ago at Islamabad, will act his deputy.  Of the 26 players, Ghulam Nabi, Muhammad Ahmad, Akram Masih, Reis Ashraf, Adnan Farooq Ahmed, Shabir Khan and Jahangir Khan failed to find place in the final 19 due to various reasons.
Arif Mehmood is the only Pakistani to score hat-trick in history of SAFF Championship (three against Bhutan last December) and leading scorer of the Pakistan Premier League in 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009. Nimble-footed striker Arif, thrown into limelight from Multan’s Young Gulshan Club, is ninth skipper for Pakistan after Arbab Hayat Shahzada (1985), Mukhtar Ali (1987), Malik Matin Akhter (1989), Ghulam Sarwar Teddy (1991), Tariq Hussain (1993), Haroon Yousuf (1999), Jaffar Khan (2004) and Muhammad Essa (2006).
George Kottan boys would face their three opponents at the M.A. Aziz Stadium in Chittagong, while Group A matches would be played at the Bangabandhu Stadium in Dhaka. “Pakistan will try to accomplish the task of memorable hat-trick when Dhaka will host the football event of South Asian Mega sports event,” said Faisal Saleh Hayat who is also FIFA Disciplinary Committee member and Chairman AFC Disciplinary Committee.
“Holders Pakistan is drawn in tough Group B, having three-times gold medalist India, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan. One of the best teams in South Asian Football would be knocked out of the event from this group before semis. It will be uphill task to face India and ever-improving Sri Lanka while Afghanistan is well-equipped to cause sensational results. We are pinning hopes on combination of German-born Atif Bashir and domestic players to turn the tide at Dhaka,” said Faisal Saleh Hayat. The Group A is comprised of  Bangladesh, Nepal, Maldives and Bhutan.
The 19-player Dhaka bound team, under coach George Kottan (Austria) is comprized of  :

Goalkeepers (2) :  Aamir Gul, Bilal Rafiq
Defenders (6) : Muhammad Shahid, Haji Muhammad, Aurangzeb, Abbas Ali, Ali Ahsan, Muhammad Idrees Midfielders (6) :  Abdul Aziz, Atif Bashir, Mehmood Ali, Zubair Ahmed, Muhammad Wasim, Muhammad Adil Strikers (5):  Jadid Khan Pathan, Arif Mehmood, Asif Mahmood, Muhammad Rizwan ,Adeem Shahzad

Officals : George Adalbert Kottan Manager/ Coach), Shahzad Anwar, Asghar Khan Anjum (Assistant Coaches),  Muhammad Aslam Khan (GK Coach), Dr. Kamran Mehdi (Physiotherapist).