Tariq Bugti, President of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), has revealed that the national team traveled to China “on borrowed tickets” as the national side played to an exciting 4-4 draw in a warm-up match against the host nation ahead of the Asian Champions Trophy.
Emphasizing the challenges facing the sport, Bugti urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to provide a special grant to promote hockey, saying, “Hockey is not receiving the status and respect it deserves as our national sport. There is an urgent need to prioritize our national game.”
In the match against China, both teams were tied 2-2 at halftime. Imad Butt’s successful penalty stroke helped keep Pakistan competitive, but China equalized late in the second half.
The Asian Champions Trophy is set to take place in Hulunbuir City, China, from September 8 to September 17, featuring teams such as India, South Korea, Japan, and Malaysia alongside Pakistan and China.
