Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi met with members of the national men’s hockey team on Thursday and pledged full support after the team’s recent complaints about mistreatment during the Pro Hockey League tour.
Naqvi expressed regret over the unpleasant incidents reported by players and assured them of institutional backing as the team prepares for the World Cup Qualifier in Egypt.
“We will accommodate hockey players in every possible way. We will extend complete cooperation to streamline hockey affairs,” Naqvi said during the meeting.
The PCB chairman instructed officials to immediately arrange air tickets, playing kits, and hotel accommodation for the squad ahead of the upcoming tournament. He also ordered the setup of a training camp starting Friday and directed that preparations be completed without delay.
Naqvi emphasised the importance of focusing on performance, saying, “Pakistan’s honour comes first. We will not allow the country’s dignity to be compromised under any circumstances.”
He also assured that injured players would receive immediate medical treatment under PCB supervision.
Following the team’s runner-up finish in the recent national hockey tournament, Naqvi distributed Rs1 million cheques to each player, fulfilling an earlier commitment.
Naqvi clarified that he was not assuming the presidency of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) amid ongoing turmoil within the sport’s governing body. “I am not becoming Hockey Federation President, but we will assist players till this turmoil ends,” he wrote on X.
The meeting comes in the wake of reported organisational issues during the Pro Hockey League tour, which fuelled discontent among players and raised questions about the PHF’s administration.
Tariq Bugti, the PHF President, has submitted his resignation to the Prime Minister, further deepening the governance crisis in Pakistan hockey.