AMSTELVEEN/ISLAMABAD: Pakistan ended a 16-year wait for a victory in the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup after defeating Japan 4-3 in a thrilling 9th to 16th place classification match at the Wagener Stadium.
The win gave the Green Shirts a much-needed boost following a disappointing campaign in the main round, where they had been eliminated from the title race after defeats against England and India and a 3-3 draw with Wales.
Pakistan made a difficult start as Japan struck twice in the opening quarter through Hyota Yamada and Kaito Tanaka. However, the Green Shirts refused to give up and gradually worked their way back into the contest.
Rana Waheed Ashraf reduced the deficit in the second quarter, making it 2-1 before the interval. Pakistan then produced a strong comeback in the third quarter, with Ashraf scoring again before Muhammad Hammadudin put the national side ahead.
Japan responded quickly through Koji Yamasaki to level the match at 3-3, setting up a tense finish. Pakistan regained the lead when Hannan Shahid scored in the 40th minute. Neither side managed to add another goal as Pakistan held on for a memorable 4-3 victory.
The result marked Pakistan’s first win in the Hockey World Cup since the 2010 tournament, when they defeated Spain 2-1. Pakistan missed the 2014 World Cup and remained without a victory in the 2018 edition.
The latest success comes at a time when the Pakistan Hockey Federation is seeking to rebuild the sport under its ad hoc president, Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani.
Wani has placed emphasis on rebuilding hockey from the grassroots level as well as improving the federation’s working structure. Under his leadership, the PHF announced plans to bring around 60,000 to 70,000 youngsters into hockey through cooperation with provincial education boards, with free hockey kits planned for schools and colleges at under-14 and under-16 levels.
The PHF has also announced separate Governance Management and Professional Development Committees, bringing together experts in financial management, resource mobilisation, sports development, coaching, sports medicine and former Olympians.
Wani has also spoken about expanding hockey beyond traditional centres, with focus on regions including Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Kashmir, Balochistan and Sindh, and on developing the game in schools, colleges and universities.
Although Pakistan failed to qualify for the knockout stage, the fighting spirit shown against Japan is expected to give the players confidence as they continue their World Cup campaign in the classification round.
For a country that has won the Hockey World Cup four times, the 16-year wait for another World Cup victory had been a painful reminder of the decline of the national sport. The win over Japan does not resolve the challenges facing Pakistan hockey, but it provides an encouraging result for the ongoing rebuilding process.
Pakistan will now hope to turn this victory into the start of a sustained revival through stronger grassroots programmes, better administration, improved training facilities and continued support for players.
