New Delhi: The Pakistani government will take a call on whether to send its national hockey team to India for the upcoming Asia Cup and Junior World Cup after reviewing the security situation in the neighbouring country.
A top government official has stated that the Pakistan hockey team will not be sent to India for the Asia Cup and the Junior World Cup later this year, if there are security threats to them.
Rana Mashood, chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Development and Sports Program, said that Pakistan would only travel to India if the government was fully satisfied with the security situation.
“The government will review the security situation in India for Pakistani nationals and if it is not satisfied it will not put any of our players at risk by sending them to play in India,” Mashood told PTI.
Mashood pointed out that after Operation Sindoor in May, when the Indian military carried out drone and missile strikes in Pakistan as retaliation for the cowardly Pehalgam attack, the situation is not safe for Pakistani nationals to travel to India.
PHF awaiting government clearance
The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) are in touch with the concerned ministries to seek advice and permission before a call is taken on sending the national teams for the two major hockey events scheduled in India.
The next month’s Asia Cup is crucial for Pakistan as it also serves as a qualifier for the next World Cup in 2026.
Rana Mujahid, the secretary-general of PHF, admitted that despite Pakistan’s participation in international events in India in the recent past, the current situation between the two countries merits government clearance
“But as of now the situation is different, relations are strained so we can only move forward when the government gives us clearance,” he said.
He also noted that the PHF is also monitoring the threats being issued to hockey team players on social media.
The Asia Cup 2025 will be held in Rajgir, Bihar from 27 August to 7 September 2025, marking a return to its usual four-year cycle after the previous tournament was delayed to 2022 due to COVID-19.
Meanwhile, the Junior World Cup is scheduled to be held in Chennai and Madurai from 28 November to 10 December 2025.