Kuala Lumpur, March 25, 2025: In a surprising turn of events, Pakistan has been excluded from this year’s prestigious Azlan Shah Hockey Cup, despite reaching the final in the previous edition.
The tournament, set to take place in Ipoh, Malaysia, from November 22, will feature teams from Belgium, Canada, Germany, India, Ireland, and host Malaysia. However, Pakistan’s name was notably absent from the list of participating teams in a recent social media post by the International Hockey Federation (FIH).
Officials from the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) confirmed that no official invitation was extended to Pakistan by the tournament organizers. This omission comes despite Pakistan’s silver medal finish last year, which earned national recognition and government-level appreciation.
Interestingly, Japan, the team that defeated Pakistan in the 2024 final to win gold, has also been left out of the 2025 edition. The reasons behind the exclusion of both teams remain unclear, raising concerns about the selection process for invitations to the annual tournament.
The omission of two previous finalists has sparked debate in the hockey community, with many questioning the criteria for participation in one of Asia’s most prestigious hockey competitions.
