India vs Pakistan Hockey World Cup 2026 Date: Pakistan has announced its 20-member squad for the Hockey World Cup 2026. The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) announced the team and support staff on August 5th. Abu Bakr will captain the team this time. The Hockey World Cup will be played in Amstelveen, Netherlands, and Belgium from August 15th to 30th.
Pakistan has selected a mix of experienced and young players for this tournament. After qualifying for the World Cup, the team is now ready to challenge the world’s leading teams.
14-year veteran captain removed
The team announcement comes just days after veteran midfielder Ammad Butt was removed from the captaincy. He had led the Pakistan team for nearly 14 years. On July 29th, the PHF decided to appoint Abu Bakr as the new captain. The federation praised Ammad Butt’s contributions and stated that he would remain a part of the team as a senior player. The PHF expressed hope that under Abu Bakr’s captaincy, the young and experienced players would combine to strengthen the team.
When and against whom will the match be played?
Pakistan will play its first Hockey World Cup 2026 match against England on August 15th. The second match will be against Wales on August 17th. India and Pakistan will then face each other on August 19th. Both teams have been placed in Pool D, which also includes England and Wales. This match between India and Pakistan is considered one of the biggest matches of the tournament.
Pakistan’s squad for the Hockey World Cup 2026: Waqar, Muhammad Abdullah, Muhammad Sufian Khan, Moin Shakeel, Abdul Wahid Ashraf Rana, Abdul Hanan Shahid, Zakaria Hayat, Arshad Liaqat, Adil Latif, Ahmed Nadeem, Ghazanfar Ali, Imad Shakeel Butt, Muhammad Hamaduddin Anjum, Rehman Abdul, Afraz, Umar Mustafa, Abu Bakr Mahmood (captain), Ali Raza, Abdul Mattan, and Muhammad Imad.
Goalkeepers: Waqar and Ali Raza
Team Management:
Team Manager – Muhammad Owais Qarni,
Head Coach – Bob Johan Veldhof (Netherlands),
Assistant Coaches – Christopher John Bowen (Great Britain) and Adnan Zakir,
Video Technician – Ashraf Sultan