Category: Hockey

WAVRE: Spain 5-1 victory over Pakistan handed the Green Shirts their ninth consecutive loss in the FIH Pro League at the Belfius Hockey Arena on Sunday.

Spain started strongly, scoring in the 11th minute when Alvarez Nicolas netted, applying early pressure.

The first quarter ended with Spain leading 1-0. Pakistan had a penalty corner in the second quarter but couldn’t capitalize.

Spain proved more clinical, with Cunill Pepe scoring twice, extending their lead to 3-0 by halftime. Post-break, Pakistan fought back; Abu Mahmood scored in the 43rd minute, briefly offering hope.

Despite two more penalty corners, Pakistan couldn’t convert, and Spain maintained a 3-1 lead into the last quarter.

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Spain dominated down the stretch, netting two more goals through Reyne Merc and Alvarez Nicolas to reach 5-1.

This victory was Spain’s first of the season, moving them to seventh place with five points and a goal difference of -16. Pakistan remains without a win after nine defeats, at the bottom with zero points and a goal difference of -30.

A day earlier, hosts Belgium routed Pakistan 7-1 in the FIH Pro League at the Belfius Hockey Arena. Belgium remained dominant throughout the game, never allowing the Green Shirts to make a comeback.

Pakistan squad for FIH Pro League

Goalkeepers: Waqar Ali, Ali Raza.

Defenders: Abu Bakar, Arbaz Ahmad, Mohammad Abdullah, Sufyan Khan.

Midfielders: Nadeem Khan, Ammad Shakeel, Moin Shakeel, Hammad Anjum, Zakriya Hayat.

Forwards: Gjazanfar Ali, Mohammad Emmad, Rana Waleed, Afraz Khan, Rana Wahid, Abdue Rahman, Ahmad Nadeem, Arshad Liaquat, Hanan Shahid.

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WAVRE: Belgium produced a dominant display to defeat Pakistan 7-1 in the FIH Pro League at the Belfius Hockey Arena on Saturday.

Nelson Onana gave Belgium an early lead in the third minute from a penalty corner, with the Europeans taking a 1-0 advantage into half-time after a scoreless second quarter.

Pakistan briefly restored parity through Rana Waheed Ashraf in the 33rd minute, but Belgium responded swiftly as Thibeau Stockbroekx put his side back in front four minutes later. Alexander Hendrickx then extended the lead in the 42nd minute.

Belgium took complete control in the final quarter, adding four more goals through Tobias Biekens (two), Guillaume Hellin, and Tom Boon to seal an emphatic victory.

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The win lifted Belgium above Australia to the top of the FIH Pro League table with 22 points from eight matches and a +16 goal difference.

Pakistan, meanwhile, slumped to their eighth consecutive defeat in the nine-team competition and remain bottom of the standings with a goal difference of -24. They next face Spain on Sunday.

Pakistan squad for FIH Pro League

Goalkeepers: Waqar Ali, Ali Raza.

Defenders: Abu Bakar, Arbaz Ahmad, Mohammad Abdullah, Sufyan Khan.

Midfielders: Nadeem Khan, Ammad Shakeel, Moin Shakeel, Hammad Anjum, Zakriya Hayat.

Forwards: Gjazanfar Ali, Mohammad Emmad, Rana Waleed, Afraz Khan, Rana Wahid, Abdue Rahman, Ahmad Nadeem, Arshad Liaquat, Hanan Shahid.

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KAKAMIGAHARA: India booked a place in the final of the U18 Asia Cup final following a 5-3 win over arch-rivals Pakistan in the second semi-final at the Kawasaki Heavy Industries Hockey Stadium on Friday.

The thrilling encounter saw many ups and downs, with India eventually prevailing in the final moments of the game.

India were awarded a penalty stroke after a review by Pakistan failed to overturn the on-field decision. Purti Ashish Tani made no mistake from the spot in the 12th minute to give the Blue Shirts an early lead.

The Men in Blue capitalized on a penalty stroke after Pakistan failed a review in the first quarter. Purti Ashish Tani pierced the nets to give his side a lead in the 11th minute.

The Green Shirts bounced back after creating multiple chances with penalty corners. But it was Adeel who leveled the scoreline in the 26th minute with a brilliant left-handed reverse flick.

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India again took the lead in the third quarter despite Pakistan’s disciplined play. Ali Shahrukh managed to sneak through the goalkeeper’s legs to make it 2-1.

Soon after, Pakistan’s Muhammad Farhan Aslam gave a strong reply, converting the penalty corner into an equalizer in the 36th minute.  At the end of the third quarter, Pakistan moved ahead with Uzair Ahmed’s drag flick doing the work.

The final quarter began with aggressive play from both sides, but Ashish Tani ensured his side did not lose the plot. He first scored a goal in the 47th minute, followed by a brace in the 52nd and 55th minutes, to help his side reach the summit clash.

India will now play Japan in the final of the U18 Hockey Asia Cup on Saturday.

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KAKAMIGAHARA: Pakistan and India are set to clash in the Men’s U18 Asia Cup 2026 semi-final on 5 June at the Kawasaki Heavy Industries Hockey Stadium.

India advanced to the semifinals after defeating Chinese Taipei 13-1 on Wednesday. With this victory, India finished second in Pool A behind Japan, which remain undefeated in four games.

Meanwhile, Pakistan topped Pool B with six points ahead of Malaysia on goal difference.

Earlier today, the Green Shirts secured a 5-2 win over Bangladesh at the same venue, thanks to Abdullah Awan’s brace.

Pakistan started the match strongly as Abdullah Awan scored in the second minute of the first quarter, giving Pakistan a 1-0 lead.

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Bangladesh quickly responded with Islam Munna equalizing in the 11th minute, leaving the first quarter tied at 1-1.

In the second quarter, Pakistan dominated possession and earned three penalty corners but couldn’t convert any, ending the half without further goals.

Pakistan took the lead again in the third quarter when Adeel scored in the 32nd minute. Bangladesh quickly equalized with Islam Munna’s second goal in the 35th minute, making it 2-2.

The game then shifted in Pakistan’s favor as they scored two rapid goals. Haider Asam converted a penalty corner to make it 3-2, followed by Abdullah Awan’s second goal to make it 4-2 at the end of the third quarter.

In the final quarter, Najeeb Muhammad Yahya scored in the 59th minute to make it 5-2, securing a convincing win for Pakistan.

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Arch-rivals Pakistan and India have been drawn into the same pool for the 2026 Hockey World Cup, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) announced the complete schedule for the mega event.

The 16-team tournament co-hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands will be played from August 15 to 30.

The event will begin with the opening match scheduled between India and England at the Wagener Hockey Stadium in Amstelveen.

Pakistan are slotted alongside England and Wales, India in Pool B.

Following the annoucement, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) stated about the team’s upcoming fixture in the mega event.

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“The Pakistan hockey team has been placed in the challenging Pool ‘D’, where they will face formidable opponents including traditional rivals India, England, and Wales,” the PHF stated.

Pakistan will face fierce rival India on August 19 at 6pm PKT.

The top two teams from each pool will advance to the next stage, where the eight teams will be reorganized into two new groups of four.

The final of the event is scheduled on August 30 at the Belfius Hockey Arena.

FIH World Cup pools:

Pool ‘A’: Netherlands, Argentina, New Zealand, and Japan

Pool ‘B’: Belgium, Germany, France, and Malaysia

Pool ‘C’: Australia, Spain, Ireland, and South Africa

Pool ‘D’: India, Pakistan, England and Wales.

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ISMAILIA: Pakistan booked their place in the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 after defeating Japan 4-3 in a dramatic semi-final of the qualifiers at the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) Hockey Stadium on Friday.

The hard-fought victory confirmed the Green Shirts’ return to the global showpiece after an eight-year absence. The upcoming World Cup is scheduled to be jointly hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands in August 2026.

Japan created the first major opportunity of the match when Tsubasa Tanaka found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper but lifted his attempt over the crossbar.

Pakistan soon capitalised, with Ammad Butt opening the scoring in the ninth minute. His initial shot was saved by goalkeeper Takumi Kitagawa, but rebounded off the post, allowing Butt to react quickly and slot the ball home.

Japan pushed for an equaliser and were denied a couple of penalty corners, including a crucial save on the line by Arshad Liaqat.

Their persistence paid off in the 21st minute when Ryoma Ooka deflected the ball into the net from open play to level the score at 1-1 heading into the halftime break.

Japan came out strongly in the second half and took the lead in the 35th minute through Shota Yamada’s drag flick.

They extended their advantage in the 41st minute when a clever overhead ball behind the Pakistani defence forced the goalkeeper out of his circle.

Unable to clear the danger, the loose ball was collected by Koji, who calmly finished with a slap-in at the left post.

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With momentum on Japan’s side, Pakistan responded strongly after their opponents were reduced to ten men following a yellow card with ten minutes remaining.

Abu Mahmood pulled one back in the 52nd minute with a powerful drag flick down the centre before Sufyan Khan levelled the contest three minutes later with another blistering drag flick that squeezed between the goalkeeper and the post defender.

Pakistan completed a remarkable turnaround in the 57th minute when Afraz produced a superb deflection from open play to give his side the lead.

Japan had one final opportunity to force the match into a shootout after being awarded a penalty stroke, but Pakistan goalkeeper Ali Raza produced a decisive save, stretching out his right foot to deny the attempt and seal a memorable victory.

The triumph marked Pakistan’s fourth consecutive win in the qualifiers, having also topped the group stage unbeaten.

Pakistan will now face England in the final of the qualifying event, scheduled to take place at the same venue on Saturday.

Once regarded as a dominant force in world hockey with four World Cup titles, Pakistan have struggled in recent years.

The team failed to qualify for the 2014 World Cup in The Hague, finished 12th in the 2018 edition in Bhubaneswar, and also missed out on the 2023 tournament in Odisha.

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ISMAILIA: Pakistan’s hockey team continued their strong form by defeating Malaysia 5-3 in their second game of the FIH World Cup Qualifiers 2026.

This was Green Shirts’ second win of the tournament, propelling them into the semi-final.

Goals from Rana Waheed Ashraf, Ahmed Nadeem, and Sufyan Khan played a decisive role in the team’s victory.

Malaysia made a solid start as Abdul Rauf pierced the net in the 11th minute of the game. However, Rana Waheed quickly responded and levelled the score line in the very next minute.

But the 12th-ranked Malaysia regained the lead in the last minute of the first quarter.

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Pakistan started the second quarter on a positive note with Hayat Zikriya levelling the scoreline once again. The first half of the game ended 2-2.

In the third quarter, Malaysia struck first in the 39th minute, only for Ahmed Nadeem to equalize for Pakistan in the 44th minute.

The Green Shirts finally pulled ahead in the last quarter, with Sufyan Khan scoring in the 48th minute and Muhammad Ammad sealing the win in the 59th  minute.

For the unversed, Pakistan are slotted alongside China, Malaysia, and Austria in pool B of the Hockey World Cup qualifiers.

The top four teams from the overall tournament will earn qualification spots for the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup, co-hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands.

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ISMAILIA: Pakistan’s men’s hockey team sealed a thrilling 5-4 win over China in their opening game of the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 Qualifiers. 

The Green Shirts bagged crucial three points with captain Ammad Butt leading from the front and earning the Player of the Match award.

It was Pakistan who struck first, with Sufyan Khan scoring the first goal in the seventh minute of the game. The first half belonged to Pakistan.

However, China made a comeback in the second quarter as Shihao DU got one through the nets to level the score.

Soon after, Pakistan doubled the score line with back-to-back goals in the 19th and 20th minutes of the game. Rana Waheed Ashraf and Muhammad Ammad were the goal scorers.

The second half ended with the scoreline of 3-1.

Pakistan further consolidated their grip in the match as Abu Mahmood found the back of the net to give his side a 4-1 lead in the 34th minute of the match.

But China broke the deadlock with two goals, making a strong comeback as Shihao and Quyang Guan pulled their side back into contention.

However, the response was immediate. Just under a minute later, RanaWaleed restored the two-goal cushion with a decisive finish at 42:37, taking the score to 5-3.

China piled the pressure on Pakistan with an early fourth-quarter strike, but the Green Shirts held firm to clinch a thrilling victory despite conceding two late penalty corners.

For the unversed, Pakistan are slotted alongside China, Malaysia, and Austria in pool B of the Hockey World Cup qualifiers.

The top four teams from the overall tournament will earn qualification spots for the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup, co-hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands.

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LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi stated on Thursday that he will continue supporting the national men’s hockey team players throughout the current turmoil. 

Naqvi’s remarks came following his meeting with Pakistan hockey players amid the accommodation row they faced during the Pro League leg in Australia.

“We will accommodate hockey players in every possible way. We will extend complete cooperation to streamline hockey affairs,” Naqvi stated.

“You should focus only on the game. Pakistan’s honour comes first. We will not allow the country’s dignity to be compromised under any circumstances,” Naqvi told Hockey players.

He also clarified that he is not becoming the next president of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF).

“I am not becoming Hockey Federation President, but we will assist players till this turmoil ends,” Naqvi wrote on X.

The PCB chairman clarified after Tariq Bugti sent his resignation to the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

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Earlier in the day, Tariq Bugti stepped down as President of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), with captain Ammad Shakeel Butt handed a two-year ban by the federation.

Bugti submitted his resignation to Shehbaz Sharif and defended his performance in a farewell statement, highlighting improvements in Pakistan’s global standing.

The resignation comes amid fallout from viral videos during the FIH Pro League leg in Australia, which showed Pakistan players living in substandard accommodation due to logistical and financial complications.

Initial hotel bookings were reportedly cancelled over non-payment, forcing team management to arrange alternative lodging with the help of the local community, often with four to five players sharing a single room and bookings falling short of covering the full stay.

On the field, Pakistan endured a disappointing campaign, remaining winless in Australia with defeats against Australia (3-2, 3-0) and Germany (5-2, 6-1).

Looking ahead, Pakistan are scheduled to continue their FIH Pro League campaign with matches against Belgium on June 13 and 20, Spain on June 14, followed by high-profile clashes with arch-rivals India on June 23 and 26, and England on June 24 and 27.

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Tariq Bugti has stepped down as President of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), while national men’s team captain Ammad Shakeel Butt has been handed a two-year ban by the federation.

Bugti submitted his resignation to Shehbaz Sharif and defended his performance in a farewell statement, pointing to an improvement in Pakistan’s global standing.

“Our world ranking was 18th, and now it stands at 13th. This is our accomplishment,” he said, adding that he had “tried utmost for two years” to push the national team forward.

He also thanked the government for allocating Rs250 million to support hockey during his tenure.

“The Prime Minister allocated 250 million rupees for hockey and released the funds. I am primarily grateful to the Prime Minister for allowing me to serve for two years,” he added.

However, Bugti acknowledged persistent administrative hurdles, particularly during the national team’s recent tour of Australia.

He claimed the tour was marred by issues involving the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), stressing that the federation lacked sufficient independent funds to manage operations smoothly.

Despite stepping aside, Bugti expressed optimism about the team’s future in the upcoming qualifiers and revealed that the schedule had already been submitted to the Sports Board by Rana Mujahid.

“The team will perform well in the upcoming qualifying round,” he predicted.

He also called for a high-level inquiry into recent incidents of what he termed “privilege indiscipline,” urging authorities to ensure accountability for any wrongdoing.

The resignation comes amid fallout from viral videos during the FIH Pro League leg in Australia, which showed Pakistan players living in substandard accommodation due to logistical and financial complications.

Initial hotel bookings were reportedly cancelled over non-payment, forcing team management to arrange alternative lodging with the help of the local community, often with four to five players sharing a single room and bookings falling short of covering the full stay.

On the field, Pakistan endured a disappointing campaign, remaining winless in Australia with defeats against Australia (3-2, 3-0) and Germany (5-2, 6-1).

Looking ahead, Pakistan are scheduled to continue their FIH Pro League campaign with matches against Belgium on June 13 and 20, Spain on June 14, followed by high-profile clashes with arch-rivals India on June 23 and 26, and England on June 24 and 27.

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