Kuala Lumpur, June 18, 2025: Pakistan men’s hockey team secured a place in the semi-finals of the FIH Nations Cup 2025 on Wednesday, despite suffering a narrow 4-3 defeat to New Zealand in their final Pool B match at the National Hockey Stadium in Kuala Lumpur.
The Green Shirts’ qualification hinged on the outcome of the subsequent fixture between Malaysia and Japan. Malaysia, who entered the match with just one point and a goal difference of -1 after two games, needed to defeat Japan by at least two goals to surpass Pakistan’s goal difference and claim second place in the group standings.
However, Malaysia’s 2-1 win over Japan fell short of the required margin, allowing Pakistan to edge through to the semi-finals on superior goal difference. With this, Pakistan joins pool leaders New Zealand in the final four from Pool B.
Pakistan will now face Pool A toppers France in the first semi-final scheduled for Friday, while New Zealand will take on Korea in the second semi-final later that day. The final of the eight-nation tournament will be held on Saturday.
Earlier in the tournament, Pakistan began their campaign with a dramatic 3-3 draw against hosts Malaysia. Ahmed Nadeem and Abdul Rehman gave Pakistan a flying start, scoring two quick goals in the opening quarter. Pakistan held a 2-0 lead going into the final quarter, but Malaysia staged a comeback through goals from Fitri Saari and Syed Cholan to level the score.
Rana Waheed Ashraf briefly restored Pakistan’s lead, only for Cholan to equalize once again just two minutes later, sealing his brace and the match at 3-3.
In their second outing, Pakistan secured a thrilling 3-2 victory over Japan. Trailing 2-1, the Men in Green mounted a spirited comeback to clinch a crucial win, keeping their semi-final hopes alive ahead of the decisive round of matches.
The team will now aim to carry their momentum into the semi-finals as they look to secure a spot in the final of the prestigious international tournament.
