Bangladesh Hockey Team To Replace Pakistan For Asia Cup 2025: Report

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Asia Cup Hockey: With just over a week left for the start of the Men's Asia Cup Hockey in Rajgir, uncertainty continues around Pakistan's participation. According to a PTI report, Bangladesh has been lined up as a possible replacement if Pakistan pulls out of the competition.

The Asia Cup, which enters its 12th edition this year, will be hosted by India for the third time. While the Indian government has already assured visas for the Pakistani contingent, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has raised "security concerns" and has so far declined to travel.

This hesitation has pushed the organisers to keep Bangladesh on standby to ensure the tournament features eight teams as planned.

A Hockey India official told PTI, "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. Neither Pakistan nor Bangladesh have confirmed anything to us till now. But Bangladesh are likely a replacement for Pakistan."

The development comes in the backdrop of heightened tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack in April, which claimed 26 lives. India's retaliatory Operation Sindoor against terror bases in Pakistan further complicated the PHF's stance. Earlier, Pakistan had even suggested shifting the Asia Cup to a neutral venue, but the proposal was rejected.

The Asia Cup is a crucial qualifier for next year's Hockey World Cup. Apart from hosts India, other confirmed participants include China, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, Oman, and Chinese Taipei.

Pakistan has a storied history in the competition, winning the first three editions in 1982, 1985, and 1989. They also finished runners-up in 1989, 2003, and 2009. In the previous edition in Jakarta (2022), Pakistan failed to reach the semifinals, though they managed a spirited 1-1 draw against arch-rivals India.

If Pakistan withdraws officially, Bangladesh will step in, marking a significant change in the tournament's lineup just days before the first whistle.