PHF skips Champions Trophy, eyes 2018 World Cup

E-Paper | March 02, 2026

LAHORE: In what seems to be another major blow to the national game, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) on Saturday decided not to take part in this year’s Champions Trophy to be staged in England in June.

The move is another significant setback for Pakistan, who for the first time in its history will not be playing in the 2016 Olympic hockey event after failing to qualify for it.

The incumbent PHF management, which took charge in August last year, should have by now raised a national team which could feature in June’s Champions Trophy, one of the toughest events in world hockey.

But the federation after having failed to do so, perhaps has some other plans. It is also yet to announce a clear, comprehensive policy for regaining Pakistan’s glory in world hockey.

PHF secretary Shahbaz Ahmed Senior told reporters that it would be better not to take part in the Champions Trophy, saying the federation was aiming to prepare a strong team for the 2018 World Cup.

Interestingly, the PHF has decided to participate in next month’s Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh, Malaysia, and has set up a training camp in Lahore for the said contest. But for the Champions Trophy it did not follow the same approach.

Published in Dawn, March 13th, 2016

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kanwarch

Mar 13, 2016 10:22am

Well it is not only hockey which is on the demise but also cricket, squash, tennis, football, economy, steel mill, PIA, railways, education, hospitals and list goes on but nation and leaders are sleep walking into disaster and nobody realizes that. Sports is a reflection of a country and its people. A nation where corruption and nepotism is rampant, where there is no merit or rule of law, what else do you expect.

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Hari

Mar 13, 2016 10:25am

I miss the Pak Hockey team of Yore! what a treat it was, watching them play! Blessed!

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Asrar

Mar 13, 2016 10:52am

FIH confirms location, teams and schedule for men’s Hockey Champions Trophy 2016 This year’s men’s showcase event will see Australia, Belgium, Germany, Great Britain, India and Korea go head to head as they battle it out to be crowned the best of the best as Hockey Champions Trophy winners.

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syed wasim haider

Mar 13, 2016 11:18am

Shame for PHF. Better sack all management, office bearers and get foreign coaches with few new faces in PHF.All our Ex Olympians failed to produce a world class team. Simply disgusting.

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Abhishek Agrawal

Mar 13, 2016 11:19am

Very sad to see state of sports in Pakistan. As an Indian, would love to see Pakistan be competitive. Unfortunately, it is focussed somewhere else.

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Aamir

Mar 13, 2016 11:55am

I don't know who is running PHF. They might be out of mind and not eligible to run. Skipping Champions trophy is illogical and pathetic decision.

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Civilian

Mar 13, 2016 12:04pm

Shahbaz senior may be right,,,, loosing will demoralize team building efforts

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M. Ahmed

Mar 13, 2016 12:09pm

How will our hockey players get international exposure? Can PHF explain its strategy ?

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tota ram verma

Mar 13, 2016 04:40pm

how can you make a world class team by skipping world class events ? strange logic . isn't it? I guess they want to keep their job intact until 2018 by doing this and in 2018 they will say this is first time we lost and give me another chance which will keep them safe for another couple years ..it is nothing but trying their best not to expose soon.. their cricket team is saying that cricket is detoriated because they are getting enough chance to play a Ross the globe freely including Pakistan and in contrast their hockey team has exactly contrasting logic

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Muhammad Ali Sheikh

Mar 13, 2016 06:16pm

This shows the incompetency of the PHF administration. Pakistan needs a foreign coach for a period of at least four years. It also needs a good administrator like Gen. Tauqeer at the helm of PHF affairs

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ChampionsAreCrafted

Mar 14, 2016 08:52pm

Shahbaz Sr is totally wrong in making this call, but it is clear that without proper financial backing and training Pakistan team at the moment stands no chance. But reality is that tougher competition makes one better - they must play the tournament. We have 100s of fashion designers and so called TV & film-stars being sent all over the world through sponsors , and yet we cannot find money to support our real heroes, our flag bearers??

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