India invites Bangladesh as reserve team amid concerns that Pakistan may not take part in tournament
NEW DELHI: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-August 19th, 2025) India on Tuesday invited Bangladesh to participate as a reserve team in the upcoming Asia Cup hockey tournament, amid concerns that Pakistan may not be able to take part in the event.
The Bangladeshi officials said that the preparations for the tournament have already begun following India’s invitation to include Bangladesh as a standby team.
Uncertainty looms over Pakistan’s participation due to strained relations between the two neighboring countries and threats issued by Indian extremists to Pakistani players.
The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) is expected to announce its final decision within the next one to two days.
The Asia Cup is scheduled to commence on August 29 in Rajgir, India.
Earlier, PHF sources had hinted that Pakistan’s participation in the event was unlikely and that players had not yet been informed about any arrangements for the tournament. An official announcement in this regard is anticipated in the coming days.
