Zambia beat Zimbabwe and Malawi in last year's Central-South Africa qualifier to secure a place at Accra 2023.

Forward Philimon Bwali's return to the squad having missed the Hockey5 World Cup qualifiers in December last year is among the notable selections.

All of the players who competed in the African Games qualification tournament in the Zimbabwean capital Harare are part of the provisional squad, with defender Lazarus Chileshe, midfielder Andrew Kapenda and forward Kennedy Nkosi among the additions.

Four goalkeepers, 13 defenders, seven midfielders and 10 forwards make-up the squad, which is led by coach Elvis Bwalya.

Zambia are set to feature alongside hosts Ghana, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa and Egypt in the men's hockey tournament at the African Games.

South Africa and Egypt have qualified by virtue of their International Hockey Federation (FIH) world ranking.

Zambia are ranked 71st in the world in men's hockey by the FIH, the seventh-highest African team.

Matches are set to be played at the Accra Hockey Pitch, which is named after former Ghana Hockey Association chairman Theodosia Okoh and hosted the 2009 Hockey African Cup of Nations.

Hockey is set to return to the African Games programme for the first time since Abuja 2003 in the Ghanaian capital when Egypt won the men's title with a 3-2 victory over South Africa in the final.

The Games are due to be held from August 4 to 19, but financial concerns in the host nation Ghana have dominated the build-up.

Ghana is facing  more than 50 per cent inflation, growing debt and a sharp decline in its credit currency.

There have been calls to cancel the multi-sport event, but organisers have claimed that it would boost Ghana's economy.