For Pakistan’s men’s hockey team, what was meant to be a positive return to the FIH Pro League quickly turned into an ordeal that underscored the persistent administrative struggles in the country’s hockey setup.
Upon arriving in Canberra for the second leg of the tournament, the team discovered that their hotel bookings had been cancelled due to unpaid bills by the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF).
Promising start marred by chaos
Pakistan earned promotion to the elite Pro League after finishing as runners-up in the 2025 FIH Hockey Nations Cup in Malaysia.
While New Zealand, the winners, were initially slated to join, financial constraints forced them to step aside.
The invitation then fell to Pakistan, offering the Green Shirts a chance to compete against the world’s top hockey nations.
Yet the promise of international exposure soon gave way to frustration.
After nearly 24 hours of travel from Lahore, players and support staff reached a four-star hotel in Australia, only to find no reservation under their name.
Sources revealed that the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) had initially secured an FIH-approved hotel booking for the team, amounting to Rs4 million.
However, the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), responsible for covering all national team expenses on behalf of the government, failed to transfer the payment online.
Consequently, the team manager had to carry the full amount in cash. By the time the squad reached, the hotel had raised its rates significantly, forcing the management to scramble for alternative accommodation—one that the FIH did not sanction.
With luggage in hand, the squad waited outside for nearly six hours as officials scrambled to resolve the situation.
Head coach Tahir Zaman struggled to reach the PHF and PSB authorities due to the time difference.
Two to three players had to share a single room in the arranged accommodation and had to wash their dishes themselves hours before their opening match against Australia, which ended in a 3-2 defeat.
Off-field woes reflect on the pitch
The chaos in Australia is emblematic of deeper issues in Pakistan hockey.
Financial mismanagement and administrative lapses have repeatedly hindered the national team, even as they face world-class opponents.
Former Olympian Samiullah did not mince words: “The Prime Minister has a lot of time for cricket, but as patron-in-chief of the PHF, he must also ensure hockey is properly managed. This is shameful.”
Hassan Sardar, another former captain, added: “It is impossible for players to perform at their best when such confusion surrounds them. The government must investigate and hold those responsible accountable.”
Players speak out
Players described the tour as “a nightmare” from the start. Visa delays, incomplete documentation, and last-minute travel arrangements had already created uncertainty. A squad member noted:
“From the start, nothing seemed organised. We were promised smooth travel and top facilities, but from the visas to the hotel, everything was a struggle.”
A source within the PHF admitted that the PSB was responsible for payments and scheduling but said funds were not released in time.
Last year, Pakistan faced a similar predicament before the Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia, when an outstanding hotel bill of USD 10,000 threatened their participation.
Series of defeats
The logistical turmoil was mirrored on the field. Pakistan lost all four of its matches in Australia:
Australia 3–2 Pakistan
Germany 5–2 Pakistan
Australia 3–0 Pakistan
Germany 6–1 Pakistan
Beyond scores and standings, the impact is psychological. Demoralised and fatigued, the team has had to contend not only with elite opposition but also the administrative lapses that undermined their preparation.
Aftershocks in Islamabad
The fallout from the Pro League debacle has since triggered sweeping changes at the top.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif accepted the resignations of PHF President Tariq Hussain Bugti, Secretary Rana Mujahid and Treasurer Shahid Pervaiz Bhandara, appointing IPC Secretary Mohiyuddin Ahmed Wani as ad-hoc president to stabilise the federation.
The shake-up comes amid delayed PHF elections, more than 100 audit objections flagged by the Auditor General, and an ongoing FIA probe into alleged financial irregularities — developments that reinforce concerns about systemic dysfunction rather than isolated lapses.
Before his resignation, the outgoing president Bugti announced a two-year ban on national captain Ammad Shakeel Butt over alleged misconduct — a move that raised eyebrows across sporting circles.
However, the narrative shifted quickly after PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi met the players, assured logistical and financial support for upcoming World Cup qualifiers in Egypt, and clarified that the same squad would continue.
The PCB also distributed financial rewards to the team, signalling an unusual but telling intervention from cricket’s governing body to steady Pakistan’s national game.
Naqvi said he will not be becoming chairman of PHF but assures hockey team full support for the revival of the game.
Meanwhile, a public blame game between the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) and the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has laid bare the administrative fractures.
The PSB maintains it fulfilled its financial commitments and attributes the Australia tour chaos to late visa applications and mismanagement by the federation, while PHF officials insist delayed payments caused the accommodation crisis.
For a nation that once ruled global hockey with four World Cup titles and three Olympic gold medals, the episode underscores a painful truth: Pakistan’s decline is no longer about skill deficits on the turf, but about governance failures off it.
