FIH Nations Cup Archives

Pakistan hockey captain voices frustration amid allowance delay during Nations Cup

KUALA LUMPUR: Pakistan hockey team captain Ammad Butt has publicly voiced his frustration over the lack of financial support, revealing that players have yet to receive their daily allowances despite reaching the semi-finals of the FIH Nations Cup.

The Green Shirts booked their place in the semi-finals after finishing second in Pool B and are set to face France on June 20. New Zealand and Korea will contest the other semi-final.

Speaking on behalf of his teammates, Ammad raised a heartfelt concern that mirrors the long-standing struggle of Pakistan’s national sport.

“Is there anyone who truly understands the struggles of Pakistan hockey?” Ammad questioned, drawing a stark comparison between the country’s cricket obsession and the declining fortunes of hockey.

“Do our politicians care about the national sport? Do ministers take an interest in the game that once brought Olympic gold to this country? Businessmen spend crores on cricket leagues, but when it comes to hockey, there’s no budget,” he lamented.

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According to sources close to the team, the players have been in Malaysia for over 10 days without receiving their daily allowances, which are reportedly PKR 30,000 per day.

The issue goes beyond the current tour; the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has also yet to clear payments for two recent training camps.

Players had requested partial payments before departing for Malaysia to manage basic expenses, but that plea, too, went unanswered.

“As players, our hearts ache,” Ammad Butt added. “We are still on the field, still fighting for the flag, but we cannot do it alone.”

“It is time for everyone, including the government, ministers, businesses, and citizens, to come together and revive the spirit of Pakistan Hockey before it is too late.”

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Pakistan defeat Japan to register first win in Nations Hockey Cup

KUALA LUMPUR: The Pakistan hockey team defeated Japan 3-2 to register their first victory in the ongoing FIH Nations Cup 2025 here on Monday.

Pakistan took the lead in the first quarter when Ghazanfar Ali unleashed an electrifying strike that found the back of the net.

However, the response from Japan was swift and decisive; just a minute later, Kazumasa Matsumoto scored the equaliser.

Koji Yamasaki then deftly snatched the lead for Japan with a stunning goal, finishing the first quarter with a compelling score of 2-1 in their favour.

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Pakistan displayed tremendous grit and resilience in the second quarter, launching a series of aggressive attacks.

Despite their relentless efforts, breaking through Japan’s formidable defence proved to be a daunting task.

However, their perseverance finally bore fruit in the early moments of the third quarter, when Rana Waheed Ashraf found the net, igniting the hopes of the Pakistani team and levelling the score at 2-2.

Pakistan hockey team did not stop there as they continued their efforts to gain an advantage in the fourth quarter, and Sufyan Khan struck the match-winning goal for them eight minutes before the final whistle.

Pakistan squad for FIH Nations Cup

Ammad Butt (captain), Rana Waheed (vice captain), Muneer-ur-Rehman, Abdullah Ishtiaq, Mohammad Abdullah, Mohammad Sufyan Khan, Abdul Manan, Hamad Anjum, Arshad Liaquat, Moeen Shakeel, Zikriya Hayat, Ghazanfar Ali, Salman Razaq, Junaid Manzoor, Afraz Khan, Abdul Rehman, Ahmed Nadeem and Mohibullah.

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Pakistan draws 3-3 with Malaysia in FIH Nations cup

KUALA LUMPUR: Pakistan team was held to a thrilling 3-3 draw by hosts Malaysia in their opening match of the FIH Hockey Nations Cup here at the National Stadium on Sunday.

The match ended in a draw despite the Green Shirts maintaining a lead up to the third quarter.

Pakistan gained an advantage in the first quarter, netting two goals. The early scores came from Nadeem Ahmad and Rehman Abdul, setting a strong tone for the game.

The Green Shirts showed dominance until the third quarter, preventing the hosts from reaching the goal post.

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Malaysia staged a comeback in the fourth quarter with Saari Fitri and Azrai Abu Kamal scoring goals. With the game evenly poised, Pakistan’s Rana Waheed Ashraf added another goal, bringing the score to 3-2 in favour of his team.

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But Malayisa fought back again as Holan Syed scored another goal in the last phase of the game, which levelled the game.

Pakistan, placed in Pool B, will now face Japan tomorrow and New Zealand on June 18.

The FIH Nations Cup format includes initial pool matches, with the top teams advancing to the semi-finals on June 20. The final and bronze medal matches are scheduled for June 21.

The tournament features eight participating teams divided into two pools for the preliminary rounds. Pool A consists of France, Korea, South Africa, and Wales, while Pool B includes Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, and Pakistan.

On the opening day, all teams will compete, and as the week progresses, the tournament will transition to classification matches and medal rounds.

For the unversed, the FIH Hockey Nations Cup is a vital opportunity for teams looking to qualify for the esteemed FIH Hockey Pro League. The champion of this tournament will gain promotion to the 2025–26 Pro League season.

Pakistan squad for Nations Cup:

Ammad Butt (captain), Rana Waheed (vice captain), Muneer-ur-Rehman, Abdullah Ishtiaq, Mohammad Abdullah, Mohammad Sufyan Khan, Abdul Manan, Hamad Anjum, Arshad Liaquat, Moeen Shakeel, Zakrya Hayat, Ghazanfar Ali, Salman Razaq, Junaid Manzoor, Afraz Khan, Abdul Rehman, Ahmed Nadeem and Mohibullah.

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Funds shortage impedes Pakistan’s participation in FIH Nations Cup

LAHORE: Pakistan Hockey team is set to miss a golden opportunity to mark a comeback in the Olympics Games as Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has been unable to send the team to the upcoming FIH Nations Cup due to a severe lack of funds.

According to the sources, the governing body of the country’s national sports has not received any funding despite making numerous requests to the higher authorities and even the Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif.

Meanwhile, the ministry of Inter-Provincial Harmony is awaiting directions from the PM secretariat in this regard.

Earlier, premier Shehbaz had congratulated the national hockey team for securing the bronze medal in the recently concluded Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey Cup in Malaysia.

Pakistan Hockey squad is supposed to depart for South Africa on November 22 to participate in the inaugural FIH Nations Cup, but the federation does not have adequate funds to purchase tickets and arrange accommodation for the contingent.

However, if Pakistan fails to feature in the event, FIH could take severe action against the side which includes a team ban and up to 15 thousand Euros worth of penalty.

It is important to note here that FIH Nations Cup provides a chance for promotion to the FIH Pro League. The winning teams from the FIH Hockey Nations Cup, men’s and women’s, will be promoted to the FIH Hockey Pro League for the 2023-24 season.

Whereas, The FIH Pro League champions in 2023-24 and 2024-25 will earn direct qualification to their respective 2026 Hockey World Cups. The winners in 2025-26 and 2026-27 will then qualify for the 2028 Olympics.

The FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup will be contested between eight teams split into two pools from November 28 to December 4 in Potchefstroom, South Africa.

Pakistan are placed in Pool A alongside France, Ireland and hosts South Africa. Meanwhile, Canada, Japan, Korea and Malaysia are part of Pool B.

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