KUALA LUMPUR – Pakistan will still compete in this year's Nations Cup despite their players being psychologically affected by the ongoing conflict with neighbours India.
Speaking to Scoop from Islamabad, Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) president Tariq Masoori Bugti said the national team, under the guidance of head coach Tahir Zaman, has yet to complete its centralised training due to the situation.
For context, India’s military launched “Operation Sindoor” on Tuesday, striking nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam attack.
Reports indicate that a total of 100 Pakistanis, whom the Indian military claimed were terrorists, have been killed in “Operation Sindoor” over the past two days.
"Things are getting a bit worrying in our country due to the ongoing conflict. A lot of our players, particularly those from Bahawalpur in the Punjab region, have seen their friends and family members fall victim to the missile attacks, and they are now psychologically affected.
"To ensure the safety of the players, we have instructed them to evacuate from Bahawalpur and move to Islamabad, and Alhamdulillah, they are safe. To help them regain their competitive mindset, we will also be arranging psychological counselling for them.
"We need to restore their competitive mentality as we will be competing in the Nations Cup in Malaysia next month. It is crucial that we perform well to qualify for the FIH Pro League.
"Our training sessions have also been disrupted by the conflict, and we are yet to complete our centralised preparations. However, I still have full faith in coach Tahir and am 100% confident that he will bring out the best in the boys at the Nations Cup,” said Tariq when contacted.
Pakistan, known as the Greenshirts among hockey fans, will face Malaysia, New Zealand, and Japan in Pool B, while Pool A will feature France, South Korea, South Africa, and Wales. The tournament is scheduled to take place at the Bukit Jalil National Hockey Stadium from June 15 to 21.
Meanwhile, Tariq expressed hope that the ongoing India-Pakistan conflict will not affect the sporting landscape, emphasising that politics should remain separate from sport.
"Sport should not be politicised – we want peace. Both nations are strong in sports such as hockey and cricket, and we don’t want these issues to affect our sporting relationship.
"As athletes, we have never brought politics into sport and have always had mutual respect for one another. I hope that continues. It would be best if both governments remain calm and do not escalate the conflict further," he added. – May 9, 2025
The post Pakistan to compete in Nations Cup despite India conflict, says PHF chief appeared first on Scoop.
