Pakistan hockey team (Image credit: X)

Pakistan and Oman have withdrawn from the upcoming Hockey Asia Cup 2025, citing security concerns. The tournament, scheduled from August 29 to September 7 in Rajgir, Bihar, has sparked reactions from Indian hockey officials who have dismissed these security worries. The winner of this prestigious continental championship will secure a spot in the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup.Hockey India Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh questioned Pakistan’s decision to pull out. “Why isn’t Pakistan coming? Why are they not participating? This is not clear to us,” Singh said. He firmly stated that “security and all the arrangements in India are much better than in Pakistan.”Former India hockey captain and Congress MLA Pargat Singh also rejected the security concerns. “There is no such issue in India, I don’t think there is any such problem in our country,” he said. He pointed out that Pakistan’s behaviour was disappointing from a sporting perspective.Pargat Singh also commented on Pakistan’s declining hockey standards. He noted that internal disturbances had affected Pakistan’s once-strong hockey program, saying “Pakistan Hockey was good once but if there are internal disturbances, everything gets affected.”Despite the withdrawals, organisers remain focused on hosting a successful event. As Bhola Nath Singh emphasised, “For us, we have to organise this as a grand success, and whoever is coming, we welcome them wholeheartedly.”The tournament will feature eight teams divided into two pools. Pool A includes host India, Japan, China, and Kazakhstan, while Pool B comprises Malaysia, Korea, Bangladesh, and Chinese Taipei. The opening day will see defending champions Korea face Chinese Taipei, while India will take on China.India’s campaign begins against China, followed by matches against Japan on August 31 and Kazakhstan on September 1. The tournament format includes a Super4s stage, culminating in a final on September 7 between the top two teams.