The Pakistan national hockey team's tour of Belgium for the final two legs of the FIH Pro League 2025-26 has been thrown into disarray after two key players were injured during a training camp held in reportedly substandard conditions, and last-minute seat shortages forced the squad to split its travel across two departure cities. The developments, reported on Tuesday, 9 June 2025, raise fresh questions about the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF)'s administrative capabilities ahead of a critical international window.

Injuries from a Worn-Out Turf

According to sources quoted in reports, the pre-tour training camp was conducted on a 'ragged and torn' turf, directly leading to injuries to Hunan Shahid and Mohammad Sufyan — two of Pakistan's prominent players. Both will miss the upcoming Pro League legs and are reportedly doubtful for the Hockey World Cup in August.

'How can you prepare on such a torn and rugged turf, but officials did not consider that,' sources said. The loss of both players leaves Pakistan with a depleted squad heading into matches against top-ranked nations including Belgium, Spain, India, and England.

Substandard Accommodation and Logistics Chaos

The problems reportedly extended beyond the playing surface. Sources indicated that players were housed in rooms without air conditioning, forced to use shared bathrooms with four players per room, and served what was described as sub-standard food. 'Exhausted players had to sleep with old-fashioned fans,' sources said.

Compounding the mismanagement, the team's departure from Lahore on Tuesday evening was disrupted after players were informed that adequate seats were unavailable on a single flight. The squad has now been split into two batches — one departing from Islamabad and the other from Karachi. This is the kind of last-minute logistical failure that critics argue reflects a deeper organisational dysfunction within the PHF.

A Season Already in Freefall

Pakistan entered this Pro League cycle as a replacement team following New Zealand's withdrawal due to funding constraints. They have since lost all eight matches played so far. The results tell a stark story: defeats of 2-5 and 3-7 against the Netherlands, losses of 3-2 and 5-1 to Argentina, 2-3 and 3-0 against Australia, and 2-5 and 1-6 against Germany.

'The officials at PHF have changed, but not the fortunes of national players,' sources noted — a pointed remark that suggests structural problems persist regardless of personnel changes at the top.

The India Factor and What's at Stake

Despite the dire run of results, sources indicated that beating India remains the primary institutional objective. 'The most important matches are against India, which we have to win as the top hierarchy of the Federation and the current government want us to beat India,' sources said.

That pressure, however, comes against a sobering backdrop: Pakistan have not defeated India at the senior or junior level since 2016. Most recently, Pakistan's Junior team lost 5-3 to India in the Under-18 Asia Cup in Japan on the preceding Friday.

In the upcoming schedule, Pakistan face Belgium on 13 and 21 June, Spain on 14 and 20 June, India on 23 and 26 June, and England on 24 and 27 June. With the squad already weakened and morale reportedly strained, the road ahead looks exceptionally difficult.