Sports are an integral part of the culture of both Pakistan and India and are widely followed, with cricket being the most popular sport in both countries. There are also significant rivalries between the two countries in sports such as hockey. The current state of hockey in Pakistan is a far cry from the environment in which the writer grew up, where the sport was celebrated and supported. There is a lack of enthusiasm for hockey among fans, as well as a lack of sponsorship, media coverage, government support, and infrastructure support for the sport. In order to improve the state of hockey in the country, a new approach is necessary.
In comparison, India’s hockey federation was dissolved and replaced with a new, professional body that received government support and functioned as a semi-private institution. This has allowed India to improve its hockey program and advance in the rankings, while Pakistan has not made similar changes. Despite this, it is possible that Pakistan’s team could still succeed in future tournaments if they perform to their full potential. However, there have been no concrete developments in establishing a professional league in Pakistan, despite discussions about this since 2015. It is sad that countries that started playing hockey after Pakistan have qualified for the World Cup while Pakistan has not, but it is hoped that the team will perform well and achieve success in future tournaments.
To summarize, the decline of hockey in Pakistan can be attributed to corruption, nepotism, and biases based on ethnicity. These factors, along with a failure to adapt to changes such as the introduction of astroturf and the implementation of penalty corners, have contributed to the current state of the sport in the country.
