No IND vs PAK at Asia Cup hockey as Pakistan makes U-turn after applying for visas: Report

The Pakistan hockey team will not travel to India to take part in the Asia Cup, which will be held in Rajgir, Bihar, from 29 August 29 to 7 September, a media report has claimed. The winner of the Asia Cup will qualify for the Men’s FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 in the Netherlands and Belgium, but it seems Pakistan are not willing to take any chance after the recent border conflict between the two nations.

As per a report in The Hindu, the Indian government was willing to approve the visas of Pakistani hockey players for the tournament, but the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has decided against travelling for the Asia Cup, citing security reasons.

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No IND vs PAK at Asia Cup hockey?

The Bangladesh hockey team has been sent an invitation for the tournament as a result of Pakistan’s withdrawal from the Asia Cup. “In fact, PHF has written a letter to the Asian Hockey Federation on Wednesday, saying that it won’t be able to compete in the Asia Cup due to security reasons. We have invited Bangladesh now,” a Hockey India official told The Hindu.

The report further added that the Indian government had clarified in July that no Pakistani sporting team would be denied entry into India for international tournaments. Pakistan also applied for Indian visas at the end of July, but things came to a halt after the Pakistan government asked them not to accept any invitation for travel to India without its “explicit approval.”

The latest decision has also put question marks over the participation of the Pakistani hockey team in the upcoming Junior World Cup, which will take place in Chennai and Madurai in November-December. Pakistan hockey team’s last visit to India was in 2023 for the Asian Champions Trophy in Chennai.

Pakistan’s decision not to travel to India, however, is on expected lines as the relations between the two countries have nosedived since the Pahalgam terror attack in April. India’s retaliatory action through Operation Sindoor resulted in massive damage to terrorist camps in Pakistan and the Nur Khan airbase in Rawalpindi.