Bhagwant Mann, Punjab’s Chief Minister, has officially announced that Pakistan will participate in the Men’s Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament scheduled to take place in India next month.
The decision is a positive step towards development in India-Pakistan sporting ties.
The tournament, starting from October 27 to November 5, will feature six teams: India, Pakistan, China, Japan, Malaysia, and South Korea.
Addressing concerns, Mann clarified India’s sporting policy regarding Pakistan.
“There is no problem in multinational tournaments. Maybe individual series between India and Pakistan cannot take place,” Mann said when asked whether the necessary clearances had been obtained for Pakistan’s participation.
The tournament will be hosted across two Punjab cities, with Jalandhar hosting the league-stage matches and Mohali serving as the venue for semi-finals and the final.
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India enter the competition as the defending champion, having won both the 2023 edition in Chennai and the 2024 tournament in Hulunbuir, China.
The defending champions will face stiff competition from Pakistan and other Asian hockey powerhouses.
Pakistan’s participation is notable after withdrawing from last year’s Junior World Cup in Tamil Nadu, signalling a possible improvement in sporting ties.
Hockey India secretary general Bhola Nath Singh, who was also present at Monday’s event, said relations between the hockey federations of India and Pakistan remained “excellent”.
“I want to say this on record that we share very good relations between the hockey federations of India and Pakistan,” Singh said.
Oman and Bangladesh will serve as reserve teams. The tournament starts on October 27 in Jalandhar, while the final will be played in Mohali on November 5.
READ: Pakistan hockey team not to travel to India for Asia Cup: reports
Written by Aleena Khan
Aleena is a sports writer at Sports Manch, with a keen interest in cricket and sports journalism. Her work focuses on creative storytelling, feature writing, and SEO content, with an emphasis on producing clear, engaging, and well-researched stories. She is passionate about exploring compelling sports narratives and continues to develop her skills as a versatile and impactful writer.