Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi has stepped in to support the Pakistan hockey team after a major controversy during their Australia tour. The issue started when hockey players accused the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) of leaving them without proper support while playing in the FIH Hockey Pro League 2025-26.
Players claimed that no hotel was booked for them in Australia, so they had to spend hours on the streets. They also said they had to cook their own food and clean utensils while staying in an Airbnb. The situation created outrage in Pakistan and raised serious questions about how the team was managed.After the allegations, PHF president Tariq Bugti sent his resignation to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. However, he also suspended team captain Ammad Shakeel Butt for two years, which angered many players and fans.Amid this chaos, Mohsin Naqvi came forward to back the hockey players. Naqvi is Pakistan’s Interior Minister and also the PCB chairman. He said Pakistan cricket would help the hockey team in every possible way.“We will accommodate hockey players in every possible way. We will extend complete cooperation to streamline hockey affairs,” Naqvi said.He also told the players to focus only on their game and not worry about management issues. “You should focus only on the game. Pakistan’s honour comes first. We will not allow the country’s dignity to be compromised under any circumstances,” Naqvi said during a meeting.Naqvi later clarified on social media that he is not taking over the hockey federation but will help during this crisis. “I am not becoming Hockey Federation President, but we will assist players till this turmoil ends,” he wrote on X.According to reports, the PCB also gave financial support to the hockey players. Each national team player reportedly received one million Pakistani rupees as assistance.Captain Ammad Shakeel Butt later said that his suspension will be reversed. He also said the PCB will help organise a training camp in Lahore to prepare for the upcoming Hockey World Cup qualifiers.
