The Bangladesh Hockey Federation (BHF) yesterday announced a 28-member preliminary squad for the Hockey World League Round-2 with the inclusion of 10 young players.

The selection committee pinned hopes on the 18-member squad which last month retained the AHF Cup while picking 10 players from the national U-18 team which recently finished runners-up in the Youth Asia Cup in Dhaka.

German coach Oliver Kurtz, who is yet to sign an agreement with the game's governing body since his short contract with a BHF vice-president expired in November last year, conducted a five-day training camp in Dhaka and Savar last month. The selection committee basically followed the instruction of the coach, who is supposed to arrive here today.

“As far as I know the selection committee has picked all the players according to recommendation of Kurtz. 18 of the players have experience of representing Bangladesh at international level while the remaining 10 players were once in training camp of the national team,” local coach Mahbub Harun said, adding that they have a plan for a three-week training camp in South Africa next month.

Biplob, Naeem, Arshad, Emon, Mahbub, Sabuj, Shishir and Rakin are the mentionable names among the young players who had a brilliant domestic season last year.  

The Hockey World league Round-2, a phase that Bangladesh never got past in two previous attempts, will be held in Dhaka from March 4 to 12 where the top two teams will advance into the 20-team semifinal round.

Bangladesh have been pitted against Canada, Oman and Fiji in Pool A while Pool B features China, Egypt, Ghana and Sri Lanka.