Asia Cup Hockey: Pakistan likely to skip India trip

LAHORE: Pakistani Hockey team is likely to skip the upcoming Asia Cup Hockey Championship being played in India  due to security concerns.

The Asia Cup is being held in Bihar India from August 29.

According to media reports, Pakistan has, in principle, decided against sending its national hockey team to India for the upcoming Asia Cup, citing serious security concerns and rising tensions between the two rival nations.

Sources say emerging threats, specifically targeting the visiting Pakistani squad, have prompted the government to reconsider participation.

“The safety and well-being of our athletes is our top priority. Given the current situation, we simply cannot take such a risk,” a government official was quoted as saying by The News.

Although no formal communication has been made to the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) yet, insiders say the message from higher authorities is quite clear.

“We understand what’s at stake if we don’t participate. But the security situation cannot be ignored. A final decision will be announced soon,” the official added.

If Pakistan withdraws from the tournament, the consequences could be serious. The team would lose valuable ranking points, and its chances of qualifying for next year’s FIH Men’s World Cup would be severely affected.

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