Pakistan ended a 16-year wait for a win at the Hockey World Cup by overcoming Japan 4-3, even though they had already been eliminated from the tournament at the group stage. The national team staged a remarkable comeback against Japan, marking their first World Cup match victory since 2010.
Earlier in the competition, Pakistan’s campaign in Pool D began with a 4-1 loss to England, followed by a 2-2 draw against Wales. Their hopes of advancing were dashed after a 5-3 defeat to arch-rivals India on August 19, which confirmed their exit from the tournament.
Despite being knocked out, the win over Japan offered a positive conclusion to Pakistan’s World Cup journey. The match started with Japan taking an early lead, scoring twice in the first quarter through Hyota Yamada and Kaito Tanaka. Pakistan responded in the second quarter when Rana Waheed Ashraf narrowed the gap to 2-1, a score that held until halftime.
In the third quarter, Ashraf scored again just two minutes in, followed by a goal from Muhammad Hammadudin a minute later, putting Pakistan ahead. Japan quickly equalized with Koji Yamasaki’s goal two minutes afterward, leveling the score at 3-3. The decisive moment came in the 40th minute when Hannan Shahid netted Pakistan’s fourth goal, which remained the final score as neither team added to the tally.
This thrilling 4-3 victory was Pakistan’s first at the FIH Hockey World Cup since their 2-1 win over Spain in 2010, ending a long winless streak. Notably, Pakistan had missed qualification for the 2014 World Cup and failed to secure any wins during the 2018 edition, making this victory a significant morale boost despite their early exit.
