Pak hockey team to be in India for Asia Cup in Rajgir

Kolkata: Despite the Indian and Pakistan cricket teams deciding to not play in each other's country following India's refusal to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy that concluded last month, it was announced on Monday that the Pakistan men's hockey team will visit India to take part in the Asia Cup to be held in Rajgir, Bihar, at the newly-built sports complex from Aug 29-Sept 7.
They had last visited the country to take part in the Asian Champions Trophy in Chennai in 2023 and finished fifth in the six-team event.
Speaking of their participation, Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey said, "Any match between India and Pakistan anywhere in the world is always exciting and good to watch. In 2023 also, when the ACT was held in Chennai, the two teams played a good game. And I expect it to be similar when the two teams face off in Rajgir also for which the fans would come in numbers."
While Pakistan coming down to India is great for the sport and as well as the fans, it does seem ironic considering the fact that controversies between the neighbours erupt only when it comes to cricket.
It's not just the Pakistan men's hockey team that has been regularly visiting India — 2018 World Cup, 2014 Champions Trophy, Junior Hockey World Cup 2021 — but the Indian Davis cup team also toured Pakistan early last year.
The Pakistan football team also came down in 2023 to take part in the SAFF Championship and in the match between the two teams India had won 4-0 with Sunil Chhetri scoring a hat-trick. The same year, the Indian team competed at the Bridge Federation of Asia and Middle-East Championships (BFAME) in Lahore winning four gold medals.
Going back to hockey, the Pakistan team sadly hasn't been anywhere near its golden past in recent days. Even as the Indian team has slowly become a force to reckon with — winning consecutive Olympic bronze medals in Tokyo and Paris — Pakistan have continued to struggle. And it remains to be seen whether they will be able to put up a challenge in Rajgir.
Besides Pakistan, India will host six more teams participating in the event, including Japan, Korea, China and Malaysia. The remaining two teams will secure their spots through the qualifying tournament, the AHF Cup.
While Rajgir has already hosted the Women's Asian Champions Trophy last year, this event will be a bigger challenge for the state, as well as Hockey India, and they are certainly up for it.
"It is a matter of immense pride and honour for Bihar to host the Asia Cup in the historic city of Rajgir. This is not just a sporting event; it is a testament to our commitment to nurturing sports and developing world-class infrastructure in the state. Rajgir, known for its rich cultural heritage, is now poised to become a vibrant centre for international sports," said Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar.
Meanwhile, speaking exclusively to TOI, Raveendran Sankaran, director general & CEO of Bihar State Sports Authority (BSSA) had said they are going to set up a second hockey pitch for the event, besides making various upgrades to the complex
"The hostels are being air-conditioned so that the teams can all stay inside the complex and we will be constructing temporary galleries to hold more spectators," he added.
While there's no dearth in preparation, one hopes the action on the pitch will be similarly eye-catching and pass without any major controversy.