Bangladesh To Step In For Pakistan At 2025 Hockey Asia Cup: Report
The Bangladesh men's hockey team is all set to replace Pakistan in the upcoming Asia Cup, with the latter's participation still in doubt, with just nine days left for the tournament to begin in Rajgir, according to a report in PTI. This will be the 12th edition of the tournament and the third time that India is hosting it.
The Indian government had already said that it would provide visas to the Pakistan players for the tournament, but the Pakistan Hockey Federation has refused to travel, citing security concerns.
The organisers have already approached Bangladesh to fill Pakistan's place in the eight-team event, but Hockey India said that the exact scenario will be clear in the next two days.
'The Indian government has already said that it is willing to provide visas to Pakistani players, but if they don't want to come to India, it's not our problem. Bangladesh has already been invited to participate in the case Pakistan doesn't come, but we will have to wait for two more days to get the confirmation," a Hockey India official told PTI.
'Neither Pakistan nor Bangladesh have confirmed anything to us till now. But Bangladesh are likely a replacement for Pakistan," the official added.
Pakistan's participation in the Asia Cup, a qualifying tournament for next year's World Cup, was uncertain after the military confrontation with India following the Pahalgam terror attack in April.
Pakistan Hockey Federation had earlier suggested that the Asia Cup be moved out of India to another venue, but it wasn't heard.
Besides host India, the other participating sides in the Asia Cup are China, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, Oman and Chinese Taipei.
Pakistan won the Asia Cup thrice, completing a hat-trick of wins, in the first three editions of the tournament, in 1982, 1985 and 1989. They finished runners-up in 1989, 2003 and 2009.
In the last edition of the tournament in 2022 in Jakarta, Pakistan won, drew and lost one match apiece to finish third in their pool and couldn't qualify for the semifinals. But in a good display of might, drew 1-1 against arch-rivals India.
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