The Bangladesh hockey team was eliminated from the AHF Cup after losing to Oman in the semifinals, marking the first time the nation failed to qualify for the Asia Cup Hockey. However, the name of Oman, the team that defeated them, is absent from the Asia Cup fixtures released today (Tuesday). Pakistan has withdrawn from the tournament, and consequently, Bangladesh received an official invitation yesterday due to finishing third in the AHF Cup.
Additionally, despite Oman being the AHF Cup champions, they will not participate in the Asia Cup, allowing fourth-placed Kazakhstan to take part this time. The eight competing teams have been divided into two groups.
Group Composition
Bangladesh’s group includes:
- Current champions: South Korea
- Malaysia
- Chinese Taipei
In terms of ranking, only Chinese Taipei (38) is lower than Bangladesh (29) in this group.
| Date | Match | Venue |
| 29 August | Bangladesh vs Malaysia | First match of the tournament |
| 30 August | Bangladesh vs Chinese Taipei | Second group match |
| 1 September | Bangladesh vs South Korea | Final group match after a one-day break |
The other group features:
- Hosts: India
- Japan
- China
- Kazakhstan
Bangladesh had previously defeated Malaysia 2-1 to become Asia Cup champions in 2023.
The winning team of the Asia Cup in Rajgir, Bihar, India, will secure a direct spot in next year’s World Cup in the Netherlands and Belgium. The next five top teams will compete in the World Cup qualifiers, which is the main target for Bangladesh. The tournament spans 10 days, with the final scheduled for 7 September.
