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Bangladesh have replaced Pakistan in the men's Asian Champions Trophy Punjab 2026 after the latter withdrew from the six-team continental tournament, scheduled to be held from October 27 to November 5.
Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) president Mohyuddin Ahmed Wani had last month said that the team's visit to India for the Hockey Asian Champions Trophy is subject to government clearance and the federation will follow whatever the government asks them to do, according to a September report by Dawn. With Bangladesh replacing Pakistan, the tournament will feature title holders and reigning Asian Games champions India, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, China and Bangladesh. Fresh from successfully defending their Asian Games gold medal in Japan, five-time ACT winners India will enter the tournament as the top-ranked team and will look to continue their strong record in the competition. Notably, the match schedule for the Asian Champions Trophy has been announced by the Asian Hockey Federation on Friday, with the tournament set to be held across two venues in Punjab the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar and the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium in Mohali. Jalandhar will host all league-stage matches from October 27 to November 2, before the action shifts to Mohali for the business end of the tournament. The semi-finals and medal matches will be played at the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium, with the semis scheduled for November 4 and the bronze-medal and gold-medal matches on November 5. The tournament holds special significance for Punjab, a state that is regarded as the nursery of Indian hockey and has produced generations of iconic players who have contributed to the countrys rich hockey legacy. The return of international hockey to Punjab promises to bring the sport closer to its passionate fan base while showcasing the states enduring connection with the game. The opening ceremony will take place on October 27, shortly before India play Bangladesh in their campaign opener. The six teams will compete in a single round-robin league phase, with each team playing five matches. The top four teams at the end of the league stage will qualify for the semi-finals. India will face Bangladesh on October 27, followed by matches against China on October 29, Japan on October 30, Malaysia on November 1 and South Korea on November 2. All five of India's league matches are scheduled to start at 1900 hrs IST. The tournament will have three rest days on October 28, October 31 and November 3. India are the most successful side in the history of the Asian Champions Trophy, having won the title in 2011, 2016, 2018 (joint winners with Pakistan), 2023 and 2024. The hosts will now aim to add another chapter to their impressive record when they take on Asias best in front of a passionate home crowd in Punjab. The announcement of the match schedule adds to the excitement for the Hero Asian Champions Trophy Punjab 2026. We are delighted to welcome the teams from across Asia to Punjab and look forward to witnessing some high-quality hockey, said Hockey India President, Dilip Tirkey. Hockey India Secretary General, Shri Bhola Nath Singh, also shared his sentiments, saying, With the schedule now announced, the countdown to the Hero Asian Champions Trophy Punjab 2026 has truly begun. Hockey India is proud to host the participating nations and showcase the passion and hospitality of Punjab. We look forward to an exciting and competitive tournament that brings fans closer to the sport while giving every team an opportunity to perform at the highest level. (ANI)
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