Pakistan has been left out of the 2025 Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey Cup, despite finishing as runners-up in the previous edition.
The prestigious tournament, scheduled to take place in Ipoh, Malaysia, from November 22, will feature teams from Belgium, Canada, Germany, India, Ireland, and hosts Malaysia.
However, Pakistan’s name is notably absent from the list of participating teams, as confirmed by a social media post from the International Hockey Federation (FIH).
Sources within the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) have confirmed that the tournament organizers did not extend an invitation to Pakistan, a decision that has raised eyebrows.
This exclusion comes despite Pakistan’s strong performance last year, where they finished as runners-up, securing widespread national recognition for their silver-medal achievement.
Curiously, Japan, the team that defeated Pakistan in the final to win gold, has also been excluded from this year’s tournament.
The reasons behind the exclusion of both teams remain unclear, leading to questions regarding the criteria used for selecting participating teams.
Pakistan had a solid run in the 2024 edition, remaining undefeated in the group stage with three wins and two draws.
They reached the final, where they lost 4-1 in a penalty shootout to Japan, who secured their first-ever Sultan Azlan Shah Cup title.
In addition to their runner-up finish in 2024, Pakistan had also secured the bronze medal in the previous edition of the tournament, further solidifying their competitive standing.
As the 2025 edition of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup draws near, the exclusion of both Pakistan and Japan has sparked concerns over the tournament’s selection process, leaving many wondering about the future direction of this historic event.
