Mumbai, February 24: In a cloud of discontent, Pakistan’s national hockey team has boarded flights to Egypt for the crucial World Cup Qualifier, simmering with anger over the Pakistan Hockey Federation’s (PHF) latest decisions. The squad, led by captain Ammad Butt, is far from thrilled with the interim coaching setup imposed by the federation.
The controversy erupted after the PHF opted for Khwaja Junaid as head coach—a man slapped with a lifetime ban in 2023 following a humiliating exit from the Asia Cup. Players had pushed hard for the return of Dutch maestro Roelant Oltmans, whose tactical genius they credit for past successes. Instead, interim PHF chief Mohiuddin Wani dismissed their pleas, citing insufficient time to secure the foreigner ahead of the qualifiers.
Sources reveal that Butt even reached out to Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi for intervention, but the busy home minister offered no response, wary of the politically charged appointments plaguing PHF. ‘Most selections here are political,’ a source lamented, highlighting the deep-rooted issues stifling the sport.
Junaid’s ban stemmed from a damning investigation into the 2022 Asia Cup debacle. Against Japan, a dramatic equalizer by Manzoor was nullified due to an extra player on the pitch, sealing a 3-2 defeat and knocking Pakistan out when a draw would have sufficed. This fiasco crushed their World Cup qualification hopes.
Four-time world champions Pakistan now grapples with a dire slump. They’ve missed the last two World Cups (2014 and 2022), finished dead last in 2010 on home soil, and repeated the ignominy in 2018. Junaid, despite multiple stints, has never delivered major silverware, his ties to PML leaders raising eyebrows.
Tensions boiled over during a recent Canberra trip, where players decried subpar accommodations and slashed daily allowances below Pakistan Sports Board standards. As the team touches down in Egypt, whispers of unrest threaten their campaign. Can they overcome internal strife to reclaim glory, or will federation folly doom another generation?