67th Santosh Trophy: Maharashtra name final 20 players squad

The Western India Football Association (Maharashtra) has named their final 20 players squad for the 67th edition of the National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy which is being played from February 1 to March 3 in Kerala and Uttar Pradesh.

Former Indian international N.P. Pradeep has been named captain of the Maharashtra team which also includes another ex-international in Mohammed Rafi, who both are from Kerala and hope that they team makes the quarterfinal group stage in their home state.

The Maharashtra state teams is mainly made-up of players from the Mumbai league with a few district players also making the squad which has caused some controversy about the Mumbai-based player.

Maharashtra have been drawn in Group C alongside hosts Uttar Pradesh and Mizoram with the matches to be played in Varanasi from February 12 onwards.


MAHARASHTRA

Goalkeepers
Rajib Miryla (Pune), Owais Khan(Nagpur)

Defenders
Oken Singh (Mumbai), Nisthar Kali Alaudeen (Mumbai), Ranjan Salam (Pune), Shabbir Ali Shaikh (Mumbai), Naduparambil Pappachan Pradeep (Captain-Mumbai), Shakti Singh (Nagpur)

Midfielders
Sanjenban Sadanand (Mumbai), F. Lalrempuia (Pune), Zuber Mahaboob (Pune), Pahoon Biswas (Mumbai), Praneel Mendon (Mumbai), Francisco Salin (Mumbai), Mohd Rashid (Nagpur), Ajinkya Nalawade (Kolhapur), Sreekant Molangiri (Pune)

Forwards
M. Mohammed Rafi (Mumbai), Anas Ibnusalam (Mumbai), Bilal Ahmed (Jalgaon)

Standbyes
Shushant Bhivgade (Nagpur), Francisco Domnic (Mumbai), Raviraj Kurne (Pune), Ilyas Koya (Mumbai), Abilash Paul (Pune)

Officials
Faruk Ahmed (Coach), Ashok Yadav (Assistant Coach), Abdul Qadeer (Goalkeeping Coach)