They weren't up for a windfall even after the trophy but life was certain to get a lot better as some sponsors and state governments stepped up to lift them financially.
The 2025-26 season of the FIH Hockey Pro League will get underway on December 9 in Argentina and Ireland, with a record 144 matches lined up across 10 host nations.
Caldas, Aikman in fray for Indian head coach's position
A summary of Indian athletes' showing at the Commonwealth Games on Day 3.
The Pakistan Hockey Federation said it has resumed talks with the Indian hockey authorities to have a bilateral series as soon as possible.
In the 28th minute, Pakistan too got a penalty corner, their third, but they again failed to stop the push and wasted a bright chance.
Former Sindh governor Mohammad Zubair also lashed out, alleging Naqvi dropped Pakistan's top players, leading to team's three consecutive defeats at the hands of arch-rivals India.
The Indian men's hockey team dished out a dominant performance to launch its title defence with a commanding 3-0 win over hosts China in the Asian Champions Trophy in Hulunbuir, China on Sunday.
Pakistani Olympian Akhtar Rasool is heartbroken to see the current sorry state of hockey in India and Pakistan. And, the head coach and manager of the Pakistan hockey team, who was witness to the golden era of hockey in both countries, believes that regular bilateral series will help both nations come out of the rot they are lying in.
Former captain and coach of the Pakistan hockey team Tahir Zaman feels that foreign coaches are not a long term solution for India and Pakistan hockey as they come from a completely different background.
With a bilateral test series planned for March-April, the Pakistan Hockey Federation wants to enter into an agreement with Hockey India under which the party found to be defaulting will be liable to pay the other federation a compensation of $200,000 dollars.
The Pakistan Hockey Federation has threatened to pull out of next year's World Cup in India unless assured of "easy procurement" of visas and "top security" for its players at the event.
Former Indian hockey team captain Dhanraj Pillay feels that resuming of India-Pakistan hockey test series should help both countries in regaining their foothold at the international level.
India will battle it out against the likes of South Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, Japan and China in the Asian Champions Trophy.
The Indian High Commission on Monday dismissed reports of visa denial to a Pakistani hockey team for a tournament in Punjab and said it has cleared the documents despite late submission of applications.
India hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh wants his team to stop conceding silly penalty corners during their crucial match against arch-rivals Pakistan on Wednesday.
A personal tragedy led Boby Singh Dhami to pick up the hockey stick; and looking back, he believes everything happens for a reason.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray on Friday slammed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) over the India and Pakistan clash in the ongoing Asia Cup 2025.
Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey, on Wednesday, said that the national men's team will travel to Pakistan for qualifiers in case it fails to directly qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Pakistan Hockey Federation had sought a loan from the PCB to send the team to Bhubaneswar and clear the outstanding dues of players.
'After 1980, our last and eighth gold medal in the Olympics, the game changed drastically when astro-turf was introduced.'
Pakistan head coach Muhammad Saqlain on Tuesday said India are not playing 'structural hockey' as the two arch rivals prepared for their clash in the ongoing Asian Champions Trophy hockey.
India named an 18-member hockey team with goalkeeper Bharat Chetri as captain to take part in the 21st Sultan Azlan Shah Cup tournament to be held at Ipoh, Malaysia from May 24 to June 3.
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Tuesday
India clubbed with Egypt, Switzerland, Jamaica in inaugural Men's Hockey5s World Cup
Hockey: India seek World Cup berth through Asia Cup triumph; up against China in opener
The Indian women's team, however, had a bad day in office, losing both its matches against Uruguay (3-4) and Poland (1-3).
Indian men's team clubbed with Pakistan in Asian Games hockey
'In so far as bilateral sports events in each other's country are concerned, Indian teams will not be participating in competitions in Pakistan. Nor will we permit Pakistani teams to play in India.'
Hockey is struggling to survive in the country because of lack of sponsors owing to the national team's poor show at the international stage.
The Pakistan Hockey Federation on Wednesday recalled senior players Sohail Abbas, Rehan Butt and Zeeshan Ashraf, who had announced their retirement after the team finished bottom of the heap in the World Cup in India. The PHF also recalled Waseem Ahmed and Salman Akbar for a national camp, from June 20, in Karachi, to prepare for a tour of Europe ahead of the Commonwealth and Asian Games.
The Secretary General of the Pakistan Hockey Federation Asif Bajwa also condoled the death of Singh.
Shooter Manu Bhaker won two bronze medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics while Gukesh was crowned the World Chess Champion in Singapore, last month.
"We are very disappointed at the way the Azlan Shah Cup organisers have dropped us from the tournament and included England in our place," PHF secretary Shahbaz Ahmad said on Thursday.
'Engaging with Pakistan at this stage sends out a message that undermines the sentiments of the people of India who stand firmly against any compromise on national security.'
India's Harmanpreet Singh was crowned as Men's Player Of The Year and his former compatriot PR Sreejesh was named Men's Goalkeeper Of The Year, announced the International Hockey Federation (FIH) on Friday.
The Indian men's hockey team on Saturday dominated their neighbouring rivals Pakistan at the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022, getting a stunning 10-2 victory to continue their winning run in the tournament.
India had topped the five-team league standings with three wins and one draw
Maintaining a clean slate, favourites India will fancy their chances when they take on a below-par but unpredictable Korea in the semifinals of the Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament in Hulunbuir, China on Monday.
