Oman Named As Replacement For Pakistan At FIH Junior World Cup

Oman has been announced as the replacement for the Pakistani hockey team at the FIH Junior Hockey World Cup, scheduled to be held in India in November-December, following Pakistan’s withdrawal on Wednesday.

Pakistan pulled out of the event on Friday, marking the second major tournament the team has withdrawn from this year, after they also pulled out of the men’s Asia Cup in August, with Bangladesh being invited as a replacement.

“We can confirm that the Pakistan Hockey Federation has notified the International Hockey Federation (FIH) that its team, initially qualified for the upcoming FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup Tamil Nadu 2025, won’t participate eventually,” said FIH in a statement.

“The team replacing Pakistan for this event will be announced soon,” the statement added.

Pakistan was placed in Group B alongside India, Chile, and Switzerland, and Oman will take their place instead.

Sporting ties between India and Pakistan have been strained since the April 22 Pahalagam terror attack and India’s retaliation in the form of Operation Sindoor.

Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) secretary Rana Mujahid stated that the current situation is not conducive, citing hostilities between the cricket teams of the two neighbours during the 2025 Asia Cup in the UAE.

“Yes, we feel the situation is not conducive under the current circumstances,” Mujahid said to Telecom Asia Sport. “The recent Asia Cup cricket event has proved that India has extreme emotions against Pakistan. Their players did not shake hands with our players and they refused to receive the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, which was shameful. We cannot send our players to a country with so much negative emotion.”