The Pakistan national football team has achieved a notable rise in the FIFA rankings, now standing at the 193rd position. This achievement comes after a historic victory against Cambodia, marking a significant milestone for the team.
In recent months, Pakistan has shown remarkable improvement, climbing 8 positions in the rankings since July. Back in July, the team was ranked 201st, and this was further enhanced to 197th in the September rankings.
Notably, Pakistan secured a 1-0 victory over Cambodia, marking their first-ever win in FIFA World Cup Qualifiers history. The historic match took place in Islamabad on October 17, with Harun Hamid scoring the winning goal for Pakistan in the 67th minute of the match.
The first leg of the match between the two sides had ended in a goalless draw. Star forward Otis Khan did not play in the second leg either, as he did not receive clearance from FIFA. Despite holding a Pakistani passport, Khan was ruled ineligible to participate by FIFA.
Khan had made his Pakistan debut in a friendly against Mauritius the previous June, with his eligibility based on his paternal grandfather, Kanwar Jamil Mohammed Khan, who was born in Delhi but later moved to Pakistan following the partition in 1947 and settled in Manchester.
Looking ahead, Pakistan is set to face Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Tajikistan in Group G in the second round of the qualifiers.
