In a welcome move, Pakistan’s Sports Board (PSB) has allocated Rs 23 million to the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) to help cover the national team’s expenses for their participation in the recently held Asian Champions Trophy in China. In Pakistan, cricket dominates the country’s sports landscape, absorbing the lion’s share of revenue and government attention, while other sports are neglected. This is evident in how cricket enjoys multi-million-dollar deals with international partners, while a historic sport like hockey struggles to survive, with the sports board forced to take loans just to ensure the team can attend tournaments.
Hockey, Pakistan’s national sport, once saw the country reign supreme in the field. However, the transition to AstroTurf—a technically demanding and financially burdensome requirement for all grounds—left Pakistan unable to develop enough training facilities. As a result, hockey lost both its accessibility and popularity, and today Pakistan struggles even to qualify for major tournaments. The lack of financial support and the failure to adapt to a changing environment are the main reasons behind hockey’s decline, a situation that continues to affect the sport today.
Ironically, despite the heavy backing by the government, Pakistan’s cricket team is currently mired in internal conflicts, reflecting the political infighting at the federal level. In light of Arshad Nadeem’s historic success at the Olympics, it might be time for the government to focus on other sports besides cricket. Investment in new AstroTurf grounds in urban centres like Lahore, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Karachi, and beyond could foster a new generation of athletes who are trained on these surfaces from an early age and ready to compete at the highest levels.
The same applies to other sports like gymnastics, swimming, and weightlifting. The potential for Pakistanis to excel in various disciplines is immense, and those who have succeeded have done so in spite of the challenges, not because of the support they received.
It is hoped that this initial gesture by the Pakistan Sports Board marks the beginning of a broader cultural shift, where cricket is not the only sport that receives attention and more diverse sports are embraced and celebrated across Pakistan.