Oman hockey team to play friendlies against Singapore

Oman hockey team will be playing five friendlies, including two international matches against Singapore national team, during their forthcoming training camp in Malaysia.

The Sultanate squad, who are being coached by India’s K.K. Poonacha, are currently preparing for the FIH Hockey World League Round 2 competition to be organised in Dhaka in March. 

Poonacha, who had called up 34 players for the first of the two domestic training camps, has reduced the probables list to 24 players for the second camp which is scheduled to take place at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex from February 4 to 14.

After the camp, Poonacha will further prune the squad to 18 players before the team travels to Malaysia for another training camp.

According to the Oman Hockey Association (OHA) officials, during February 18 to March 1 camp in Malaysia, the Omanis will be playing five friendly matches.

Oman will first take on UiTM, a Division One team of Malaysian Hockey League, on February 21 and Premier Division side Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) on February 22.

The international friendlies against Singapore are scheduled for February 24 and 25.

The Omanis will play another friendly match against Maybank Team on February 28.

After the camp, Poonacha’s boys will travel straight to Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka to take part in the FIH HWL Division 2.

First up Fiji

In the Dhaka tournament, Oman will launch their campaign with a Pool A match against Fiji on March 4.

They will take on Canada a day later before facing Bangladesh on March 7.

The quarterfinals and semifinals are scheduled for March 9 and 11 respectively while the final will be played on March 12.

FIH chief to visit Oman

Meanwhile, the OHA informed that Dr. Narinder D Batra, in his first trip to Oman after taking over as the chief of International Hockey Federation (FIH), will be arriving in Oman in March.

According to Oman Hockey Association (OHA) chairman Talib bin Khamis Al Wahaibi, the Indian president of world hockey governing body will make an unofficial visit to Oman on March 2.

During his visit, Narinder Batra will also meet OHA chief as well as the OHA board members.

Oman’s 24-player list: Fahad Khamis Al Nofli, Said Rashid Al Hasni, Amjad Abdullah Al Hosni, Gassan Ghareeb Al Hasani, Aiman Abdullah Al Katheri, Hammad Salim Al Fazari, Salah Nasir Al Sadi, Abdullah Hamood Al Alawi, Khalid Juma Al Shuaibi, Ashraf Talib Al Nasri, Ammar Juma Al Shuaibi, Ahmed Sabil Al Balushi, Mohammed Amin Said, Younis Ghabish Al Nofali, Basim Khatir Rajab, Mohammed Hubais Al Shar, Shafi Talib Ramadhan, Mahmood Salim Al Hosni, Marwan Abdulrahman, Qasim Moosa, Mohammed Hassan Al Lawati, Khalid Mubarak Al Batashi, Mohanna Nasir Hosni, Imaad Ayyad Al Hosni.

FIH HWL Rd 2 fixtures:

Pool A: Canada, Oman, Bangladesh, Fiji

Pool B: China, Egypt, Ghana, Sri Lanka

March 4: China vs Ghana, Egypt vs Sri Lanka, Oman vs Fiji, Canada vs Bangladesh.

March 5: Ghana vs Sri Lanka, Egypt vs China, Oman vs Canada, Bangladesh vs Fiji

March 7: Canada vs Fiji, China vs Sri Lanka, Ghana vs Egypt, Bangladesh vs Oman.

March 9: Quarterfinals

March 11: Classification matches and semifinals

March 12: Classification matches and final.

Source :Times Of Oman