New Delhi: Hours after Pakistan failed to qualify for the 2023 Men’s Hockey World Cup, Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Secretary Asif Bajwa called it a “major setback” for the country.
Bajwa, according to the Dawn, however said the federation would continue to support the current squad. Pakistan men’s hockey team had Thursday suffered a crushing blow when it lost to Japan 3-2 in the Asia Cup.
“Yes, it is a big upset because the team played well [in the Asia Cup] and showed improvement every day…Despite having meagre financial resources, the PHF has been trying to facilitate the players. We offered central contracts to the players, brought coaches from Australia and now hired a Dutch coach [Siegfried Aikman]…I strongly hope Pakistan will qualify for the next Olympics Games as well as for the FIH Pro-league,” Bajwa told the Dawn.
Bajwa’s comments came amid calls from former Pakistani players for “radical changes” in Pakistan hockey on an organisational and administrative level, according to a report in The Bridge.
“We really need people to run hockey who have no self-interest. We need coaches who are willing to work selflessly and are not there for daily allowances or foreign rides,” former player Samiullah Khan said.
“What have [PHF President Brigadier (retd) Khalid Sajjad Khokar and team manager Khawaja Junaid] achieved as yet despite being around for so many years now? Khokar has been president for seven years,” another former player Hasan Sardar pointed out.
Pakistan had two goals disallowed
Despite drawing 1-1 with India a few days earlier, Pakistan’s elimination from both the Asia Cup and the World Cup qualifying process was confirmed after India beat Indonesia 16-0 to overtake Pakistan on goal difference.
Moreover, the Pakistani team was made to pay for rookie mistakes in its defeat to Japan. Despite a late onslaught with 30 circle penetrations to overturn the 3-2 deficit, Pakistan had two goals disallowed — one due to a foul on Japan’s goalkeeper and the other due to Pakistan having 12 players on the field as opposed to 11.
Check out the circle penetrations and shot on goals. @PHFOfficial team was just unlucky today as it could not finish its chances. But the improvements are seen under coach @SiggyAikman He is doing an excellent job. The pressing and attack has improved a lot.#AsiaCupHockey2022 https://t.co/9zfwGnWOYi pic.twitter.com/Mwj45zEO7T
— MUHAMMAD BINYAMEEN (@BINYAMEEN666) May 26, 2022
As a result, Pakistan have now missed two of the last three Men’s Hockey World Cups and the last two Summer Olympic Games. The 2018 World Cup was the only major global tournament the team had qualified for, when they lost 5-0 in the second round to eventual champions Belgium.
This decline has reflected in Pakistan’s FIH world rankings — they languish in the 20th place, well behind Asian competitors Malaysia, South Korea and Japan, all of whom qualified for the 2023 World Cup due to their semifinal placements in the Asia Cup.
India had already qualified to the World Cup as hosts, with Bhubaneshwar’s Kalinga Stadium and Rourkela’s Birsa Munda Stadium as the venues. The World Cup is scheduled to take place from 13 to 29 January, featuring 16 teams, with Belgium as the defending champions.
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