Pakistan finally ended a 16-year wait for a Hockey World Cup victory after producing a dramatic 4-3 comeback win over Japan in the 9th–16th place classification match at Wagener Stadium in Amstelveen.
Japan made a strong start and quickly built a 2-0 advantage, putting Pakistan under early pressure. The Green Shirts, however, responded with an impressive fightback as Rana Waheed Ashraf found the net twice to bring Pakistan level and revive hopes of securing their first World Cup win in more than a decade.
Muhammad Hammadudin then completed Pakistan’s comeback by scoring to put his side ahead. Japan refused to give up and managed to level the contest once again, setting up a tense finish.
Pakistan eventually found the breakthrough through Hannan Shahid, who scored the decisive goal in the 40th minute. The Green Shirts held on during the remaining stages to secure a memorable 4-3 victory and end their long wait for a World Cup win.
The result marks Pakistan’s first Hockey World Cup victory since their 2010 win over Spain. Despite the historic result, Pakistan were unable to advance to the next round of the tournament after earlier defeats against England and India, along with a draw against Wales.
The victory nevertheless provides a significant boost for Pakistan hockey, offering the team a much-needed moment of confidence on the international stage.
