Pakistan pull out of Asia Cup in India; Bangladesh to participate

Pakistan have officially withdrawn from the upcoming Men's Hockey Asia Cup, scheduled to begin in India on 29 August. In response, the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) has extended an invitation to Bangladesh to fill the vacant spot. Bangladesh have already confirmed their participation.

Confirming the news, Lt Col (Retd) Riazul Hasan, General Secretary of the Bangladesh Hockey Federation, said, "We received the invitation from the AHF this afternoon. God willing, we will take part in the Asia Cup. Preparations are already underway."

Rumours had been circulating for the past three weeks that Pakistan might withdraw from the Asia Cup due to ongoing tensions with India. Anticipating this possibility, Bangladesh began their national training camp on 14 August at the Maulana Bhasani Hockey Stadium. Under the guidance of coach Moshiur Rahman, the camp includes 10 players from the U-21 World Cup squad and 18 from the senior national team.

Bangladesh have participated in every edition of the Asia Cup since its inception in 1982. However, this time they failed to qualify directly after not reaching the final of the AHF Cup. But as the third-placed team, Bangladesh secured a spot in the tournament following Pakistan's withdrawal.

The 12th edition of the Men's Hockey Asia Cup will be held in Rajgir, India, from 29 August to 7 September. South Korea, the most successful team in the tournament's history, have won the title five times. Alongside Bangladesh and India, the eight-team competition also includes China, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Oman, and Chinese Taipei.

This edition of the Asia Cup also serves as a qualifier for the 2026 Men's Hockey World Cup, which is set to be held in Belgium and the Netherlands next August. The team that wins the Asia Cup will earn a direct spot in the 16-team global event.