Hockey: Pakistan Team Head to India for Asia Cup Despite Champions Trophy Debacle
by Devesh Jaganath | by Devesh Jaganath
Pak-India Rivalry Over the Years
The rivalry between Pakistan and India is one of the most well-known and well-documented globally, and extends beyond the sports field, with the nation’s political leaders having a hostile relationship that dates back to the 1940s.
Cricket, which is easily the biggest sport across both countries, has borne the brunt of these strained relations, with India last playing a competitive fixture in Pakistan in 2008, while matches since then have been forced to be played at neutral venues.
The most recent instance of this was at the ICC Champions Trophy this year, when the Indian government, together with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), refused to allow the Men in Blue to participate in the tournament due to “security concerns.”
As a result, all of India’s matches during the tournament were played in Dubai, including the final which they won. Additionally, Pakistan - the rightful hosts of the competition - were forced to travel to the Middle East to face India and were beaten comprehensively, which added fuel to the rivalry’s already red-hot flame.
Pakistan Hockey Team Ready for Visit to Rajgir
Notably, India has avoided entertaining even the idea of stepping onto Pakistani soil for over 15 years to compete in most sports, but Pakistan have travelled to India several times during that period, most recently during the 2023 World Cup.
While some may consider it a double standard, the reality is that India largely has better infrastructure to host large global sporting events, which Pakistani athletes would miss out on if they were to forgo participating in them.
This seems to be the case again this year, when the Pakistan national hockey team will arrive in Rajgir, Bihar, to participate in the 2025 Asia Cup, which will take place between August 29 and September 7.
Also set to feature at the Asia Cup in India this year are Malaysia, China, Korea, and Japan, while the final two nations in the eight-team competition will be confirmed after the AHF Cup, which serves as a qualifier for the competition.
The 2025 Men’s Hockey Asia Cup will be the 12th edition of the tournament, and the winner will secure direct qualification for the 2026 Men’s FIH Hockey World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the Netherlands and Belgium next year.
Don’t forget to check out our list of the best online betting sites for hockey ahead of the 2025 Asia Cup!
