KUALA LUMPUR: Debutants Matador Hockey Club will bring in eight Pakistan national players to mount a strong challenge in the Malaysian Hockey League (MHL) which begins on Jan 4.
The Green Shirts are senior team captain Ammad Shakeel Butt, Abdul Hannan Shahid, penalty corner specialist Sufyan Khan, Abdul Waheed Ashraf Rana, Zikriya Hayat, Usama Bashir, Rana Muhammad Waleed Ashraf and Abdul Manan.
Matador will also be powered by former national players Baljit Singh Charun, Jiwa Mohan and Adrian Andy Albert. Their youngest player is 15-year-old Arvind Zachary Steven.
The Matador coach is K. Yogeswaran, who guided Perak to the 2013 and 2014 Razak Cup titles.
Matador team manager Sarwan Singh said they also have a few talented youngsters who have a chance to be called up for national junior training.
"It will cost us about RM600,000 to RM700,000 to compete (in the MHL) and we got good support from sponsors, parents and friends.
"We are looking forward to giving the other teams a run for their money and qualify for the semi-finals."
Matador will open their MHL campaign against Nurinsafi Sporting at the Bertam Hockey Stadium in Penang on Jan 15.