The decline has been visible for years. Pakistan missed the 2023 World Cup and the Paris Olympics before returning to the Hockey World Cup in 2026. The team also finished last in the previous Pro League season.

Former Pakistan captain Salman Akbar believes the decline is not because of a lack of talent, but the absence of a functioning system, adding that Pakistan Hockey has no clear pathway for young players. He was also critical of the lack of a structured program for the players.

“There is no road map for anyone. Even today, if a child starts hockey in Pakistan, they don’t know what is the road map to reach the national training camp. Because there is no road map. There is no path. And that is the thing that now, players are not busy. If a player goes back home after an event, you know, there is no program or groups or training center to divide the area. There are many models. The whole world works like this. Australia itself is a continent. It is such a big continent. So they have kept a system of their own,” Salman Akbar told Sports Now.

“I have to say with a lot of regret that our Olympians captured the system and they kept their own legacy and didn’t upgrade it. They didn’t give anyone a chance to come. And playing around it and there are so many big names. There is no other opinion that they have brought medals for Pakistan. But we also have to understand it was somewhere 80s. And you know, now it is going to be 2026. So, unfortunately, this thing was not handled properly.”

“Until we were there, like me, Rehan, Suhail, Waseem. Earlier, the demand of Pakistan players was there because we were performing internationally. And clubs used to invest in us. They used to hire us. They used to pay us. Their sponsors used to cover the whole system.”

Today, that demand has disappeared because international performances no longer create the same confidence among foreign clubs.

“But now they don’t. Because they see it at the international stage that how much difference there is in players. And they are not interested at all.”

“If you get a talented player, you say just bring him to the team. Get him experience. He will do better. And gradually a lot comes out of it. There are many talented players in this team. There are very good players. There is no doubt about it. There are 3-4 very good players in this team. But as a team, you can see where we stand.”

“Favoritism, yes. I think, yes, it can be said. There is not much favouritism in team selection. I think this is the best team Pakistan could ever select from the whole country.”

His bigger concern is the system, hacked by the Olympians, who have created groups and promote people close to them. Akbar believes this significantly affects coaching appointments, camp selections and opportunities for emerging players, which is directly responsible for the decline of Pakistan hockey.

“Our Olympians, whom I say they have hacked the system, they have teams inside them. So, whenever anyone gets a chance to come up, they bring their own people.”

“Your domestic structure, bring it on the calendar. These are the dates. In these dates, we have this tournament, this tournament, this tournament.”

He also wants a stronger connection between the national team and grassroots hockey. Salman said that the senior coach should be able to tell coaches at clubs and lower levels what kind of players the national team needs. Those coaches can then identify and develop players who fit those requirements, creating a clear path from grassroots hockey to the national team. He also called for better coaching education, professional selection and accountability, saying favouritism must be reduced and coaches should be judged on their actual work.

Player welfare is another priority for Salman Akbar, who wants sponsorship money to be used to provide medical insurance for players across age groups, giving them greater security when they suffer injuries.

Salman also highlighted the need for education beyond physical training, including game awareness, tactical understanding, pressure management and psychological preparation.

But above all, Akbar feels that key to success will be the consistency “Pakistan cannot run a program for six months or a year and then abandon it.”

For Akbar, Pakistan’s return to the top will not come from one tournament or one coach. It will come from building a system that works consistently for years.