Sports Bulletin

Sports Bulletin ReportRAWALPINDI: Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) on Saturday announced that the 67th National Hockey Championship would be held at the Lt. General Ashfaq Nadeem Hockey Stadium, Ayub Park, Rawalpindi from October 12 to 23, 2023.According to an official, the tournament will be conducted in collaboration with the Army Welfare Trust (AWT). Hockey top national event will feature the participation of affiliated provincial units and departmental teams associated with the PHF. This significant event is being organized under the joint venture of the PHF and the Army Welfare Trust.

Sports Bulletin ReportLausanne (Switzerland): The highly anticipated FIH Hockey5s World Cup Oman 2024 officially launched at a ceremony, which took place in Salalah, Oman attended by FIH President Tayyab Ikram, chief guest Sayyid Firas Bin Fatik Al Said and Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth Basil bin Ahmed Al Rawas.On this occasion, the pools of the tournament were revealed. In the women’s competition hosts Oman were drawn in Pool A along with Malaysia, Fiji and Netherlands. Australia, South Africa, Ukraine and Zambia are placed in Pool B. India, United States, Poland and Namibia are in Pool C, while New Zealand, Uruguay, Thailand and Paraguay complete Pool D. In the men’s competition Netherlands were drawn with Pakistan, Poland and Nigeria in Pool A. India, Egypt, Switzerland and Jamaica will compete in Pool B. Australia, New Zealand, Trinidad & Tobago and Kenya are placed in Pool C, while hosts Oman will face Malaysia, United States and Fiji in Pool D.The 16 men’s and women’s teams from around the world will all be vying to become the first ever Hockey5s World Champions when the World Cup gets underway from 24-31 January 2024 in Muscat, Oman. FIH President Tayyab Ikram, in his message, congratulated all the 32 teams that qualified for the FIH Hockey5s World Cup and said: “I would like to congratulate all the 16 men’s and women’s teams that will be a part of the record books as the first teams to compete in an FIH Hockey5s World Cup! You represent the very best of Hockey5s; and you will be the trailblazers and the role models for all future players who take up this new and exciting format of our beloved sport”Speaking about the new era that the FIH Hockey5s World Cup 2024 ushers, he added: “The draw ceremony today not only sets up the path to the gold medal for our teams, but also heralds the dawn of a new era in Hockey! Hockey5s is not just a very exciting format, but it is also a highly accessible version of Hockey that I am sure will inspire even more youngsters to pick up the stick and the ball and start playing our beautiful sport.Special thanks to Oman Hockey Association as they will, as we know it, put together a fantastic show for the inaugural Hockey5s World Cup.” 

Sports Bulletin ReportLausanne (Switzerland): The inaugural Hockey5s Asia Cup came to an end at Salalah, Oman as both Indian women’s and men’s teams claimed the gold medals. The top three finishers (men and women) were guaranteed a spot at the inaugural FIH Hockey5s World Cup 2024. Joining India in the women’s podium, and securing their spot at the World Cup, were Thailand as silver medalists, and Malaysia as bronze medalists. In the men’s competition, joining India in qualifying for the World Cup, were Pakistan who won the silver medal and Malaysia, who finished fourth behind Oman, who took bronze. As Oman have already qualified for the World Cup as hosts, Malaysia take the third available spot from Asia. In the women’s competition, India went unbeaten throughout the tournament, topping the Elite pool registering three wins in their three matches. Thailand finished second to secure their semi-final spot. Japan and Malaysia went into the crossovers against Indonesia and Hong Kong China, who finished as the top two teams in the challenger pool. Indonesia and Malaysia were the crossover winners and moved on to the semi-finals. India defeated Malaysia 9-5 in a goalfest in the first semi-final, while Thailand relied on a solid defence to take a 5-2 win over Indonesia in the second semi-final. The bronze medal match produced a thriller, with the teams ending regulation time tied at 4-goals apiece. Malaysia were down 4-1 at half-time but scored thrice in the second half to pull level and won the bronze medal in the shoot-outs. In the final Thailand led 2-1 midway through the opening half, but India scored 6 unanswered goals from that point on to snatch the gold medal and become the inaugural champions. In the men’s competition, Pakistan and India topped the Elite pool securing their spots in the semi-finals. Pakistan topped the group with 13 points, while India finished second on 12 points. In their pool stage head-to-head match Pakistan got the better of India in a 5-4 thriller. In the first stage of crossover matches, Iran and Oman defeated Japan and Kazakhstan to make it to the second stage crossover matches. Oman defeated Bangladesh 5-3 to make it to the semi-finals, while Iran’s challenge came to a halt in a 6-1 loss to Malaysia. India and Pakistan sealed a finals rematch, as Pakistan won their semi-final against Oman by a 7-3 margin, while India overcame an early 2-1 deficit to win 10-4 against Malaysia. The finals once again proved to be a tight contest between India and Pakistan as the momentum and lead switched hands multiple times. At the end of full time the teams were tied at 4-4 and the title was to be decided by a shoot-out. India edged the shoot-out and claimed the gold medal, with both teams securing a spot in the upcoming World Cup. Oman claimed the bronze medal with a 5-4 win over Malaysia. But with Oman already qualifying for the World Cup as hosts, the third available qualification spot from Asia went to Malaysia as the fourth placed team. The inaugural edition of the FIH Hockey5s World Cup 2024 will be played in Muscat, Oman from 24-31 January 2024, with 16 teams competing in both men’s and women’s tournaments. All 16 teams participating in the women’s competition have now qualified. Oman (hosts), Namibia, South Africa and Zambia (Africa), USA, Uruguay and Paraguay (Pan America), Netherlands, Poland and Ukraine (Europe) Australia, New Zealand and Fiji (Oceania), India, Thailand and Malaysia (Asia) will be the 16 teams to participate in the World Cup. All 16 teams participating in the men’s competition have now qualified. Oman (hosts), Netherlands, Poland and Switzerland (Europe), Egypt, Kenya and Nigeria(Africa), USA, Trinidad & Tobago and Jamaica(Pan America), Australia, New Zealand and Fiji (Oceania), India, Pakistan and Malaysia (Asia) will be the 16 teams to participate in the World Cup. 

Captain Rana Abdul Waheed score 8 goals and wins “Man of the Match” awardSports Bulletin ReportSalalah (Oman): Pakistan hockey team outclassed Japan 26-1 in their first match of the ongoing 5-a-saide Asia Cup & 5s World Cup Qualifier, as the Pakistani players exhibited an exceptional performance and posted a massive victory in Salalah, Oman on Tuesday.Captain Rana Abdul Waheed Ashraf, who proved instrumental in the match, was awarded the Man of the Match title. He contributed significantly to Pakistan's success, netting 8 goals. Other players also made substantial contributions, with Zakaria Hayat scoring 3 goals, Arshad Liaquat securing 5 goals, Muhammad Abdullah obtaining 3 goals, Abdul Rehman and Abdul Wahab each achieving 2 goals, Murtaza Yaqoob scoring 2 goals, and Ehtsham Aslam notching 1 goal. Japan's lone goal was scored by TANI Naotaka.The Pakistan Five Side Hockey Team comprises Abdullah Ishtiaq Khan and Ali Raza as goalkeepers, Muhammad Abdullah as defender, Ehtsham Aslam and Mohammad Murtaza Yaqoob as midfielders, and Arshad Liaquat, Zakaria Hayat, Rana Abdul Waheed Ashraf, Abdul Rehman, and Abdul Wahab as strikers.The 5s Asia Cup features a total of 11 participating teams: Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Bangladesh, Hong Kong China, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, and the host country Oman. 

Pakistan to meet Netherlands on December 6, 16 teams brackets in 4 PoolsSports Bulletin ReportLausanne (Switzerland): The FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup Malaysia 2023 will spring into action in exactly 100 days at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia as a new generation of players aim to write themselves into the history books of Hockey.The 16 teams in the hunt for the gold medal know their pools and the opponents that stand between them and the ultimate glory. The organizing team has pulled out all the stops to ensure the best possible experience for the players and the fans. The officials are set and ready to ensure a smooth-running and fairly contested tournament. The fans are ready to cheer for the next generation of hockey stars who are primed to break out.All 16 teams that have qualified for the event were placed into their respective pools earlier this year, on 24 June, at the official launch ceremony of the FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup Malaysia 2023. The pools were established on the basis of the very first FIH Junior World Rankings.The World Cup will get underway on 5 December and run until 16 December. Pool B action between France and Egypt will get the tournament underway at 9:00 local time on the opening day, which will see 12 teams get their campaign underway. Germany vs South Africa, Spain vs Canada, Argentina vs Australia and India vs Korea will follow the opening match. Hosts Malaysia will take on Chile in the final encounter of the opening day, with the hopes of making a perfect start in front of their passionate home fans.Malaysia has a rich relationship with the FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cups, having hosted the event on three occasions in the past. The cities of Kuala Lumpur (1982), Ipoh (1989) and Johor Bahru (2009) hosted the second, fourth and ninth editions of the event respectively. The 13th edition of the FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup will see Kuala Lumpur play hosts once again, 41 years since the event was last held in Malaysia’s capital city.Pools (4):Pool A: Argentina, Australia, Chile, MalaysiaPool B: Egypt, France, Germany, South AfricaPool C: Canada, India, Korea, SpainPool D: Belgium, Netherlands, New Zealand, PakistanSchedule (Hockey Juniors World Cup-Round-I):December 5, 2023: France vs Egypt, Germany vs South Africa, Spain vs Canada, Argentina vs Australia, India vs Korea, Malaysia vs ChileDecember 6, 2023: Belgium vs New Zealand, South Africa vs Egypt, France vs Germany, Australia vs Chili, Malaysia vs Argentina, Netherlands vs PakistanDecember 7, 2023: Korea vs Canada, Belgium vs Netherlands, Spain vs India, Pakistan vs New ZealandDecember 8, 2023: South Africa vs France, Germany vs Egypt, Argentina vs Chili, Australia vs MalaysiaDecember 9, 2023: Korea vs Spain, Netherlands vs New Zealand, India vs Canada, Pakistan vs Belgium

Sports Bulletin ReportISLAMABAD: A 10-man Pakistan squad left Islamabad Airport for Salalah, Oman to participate in the Five-A-Side World Cup Qualifier fixture, as Rana Abdul Waheed will lead green shirts in the 11-nation international hockey showpiece.Head coach Olympian Wasim Feroze, and manager Major Mohammad Shahnawaz Khan. Secretary General Haider Hussain of the Pakistan Hockey Federation, Rana Mohammad Shafiq from the National Hockey Selection Committee, Mohammad Asif, Senior Vice President of the Islamabad Hockey Association, and Mirza Naveed Baig sent-off national squad at Islamabad International Airport.The upcoming five-sided Asia Cup will feature 11 participating teams, including Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Bangladesh, Hong Kong China, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, and the host country Oman. Pakistan is scheduled to play their inaugural match against Japan on August 29.Captain Rana Abdul Waheed said:“Pakistan Hockey Federation selected the best players for the competition on merit, as we all going abroad with determination to secure victory. I appeal to the whole nation for prayers, expressing confidence that they will return to Pakistan triumphant.”Olympian Waseem Feroze, the Head Coach of the Pakistan Five-Aided Hockey Team and a 1994 World Cup Gold Medalist, emphasized that Five-Aided Hockey demands swift strategy due to its fast-paced format. He praised the excellent form of the Pakistan team members. He expressed his belief that they will perform effectively, ultimately achieving their target of qualifying for the five-a-side world cup.Names of players: Abdullah Ishtiaq Khan, Ali Raza, Mohammad Abdullah, Ehtsham Aslam, Mohammad Murtaza Yaqoob, Strikers: Arshad Liaquat, Zakaria Hayat, Rana Abdul Waheed Ashraf, Abdul Rehman, and Abdul Wahab.

Pakistan to take part in only men’s event, 11 teams to fight for top honourSports Bulletin ReportLausanne (Switzerland): The best Hockey5s teams (men and women) from Asia will go head-to-head in Salalah, Oman, for the opportunity to be crowned the inaugural Asian Hockey5s Champions, with the final three spots (per gender) for the FIH Hockey5s World Cup Oman 2024 also up for grabs!The event will feature both men’s and women’s competition. Bangladesh, Hong Kong China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Malaysia and Oman will compete in both men’s and women’s events. Additionally, Chinese Taipei and Thailand will compete in the women’s event that will feature 10 teams, while Afghanistan, Kazakhstan and Pakistan will play in just the men’s competition, which will see 11 teams participate.The women’s competition will begin on 25 August and run until 28 August. The men’s event will begin right after, running from 29 August to 2 September. The event will feature a new format that will see teams split into two pools, i.e., the Elite Pool and the Challenger Pool.In the women’s competition, India, Malaysia, Japan and Thailand will be placed in the Elite pool. Hong Kong China, Chinese Taipei, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Iran and Oman will go into the Challenger pool. After the teams complete their pool matches, crossover matches will be played amongst the bottom two teams of the elite pool and the top two teams in the challenger pool. The winners of the crossovers will then take on the top two teams from the elite pool in the semi-finals. The losing semi-finalists will play in the bronze medal match, where the winner, along with the two finalists will qualify for the inaugural FIH Hockey5s World Cup Oman 2024.In the men’s competition, India, Malaysia, Pakistan, Japan, Oman and Bangladesh will be placed in the Elite pool. Hong Kong China, Indonesia, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan and Iran will compete in the Challenger pool. After the teams complete their pool matches, the first crossover matches will be played amongst the bottom two teams of the elite pool and the top two teams in the challenger pool. The winners of these two contests will play in the second phase of crossover matches, against the teams in third and fourth place of the elite pool.Finally the two top finishers of the elite pool will take on the winners of the second crossovers in the semi-finals. The losing semi-finalists will play in the bronze medal match, where the winner, along with the two finalists will qualify for the inaugural FIH Hockey5s World Cup Oman 2024.The inaugural edition of the FIH Hockey5s World Cup 2024 will be played in Muscat, Oman from 24-31 January 2024, with 16 teams competing in both men’s and women’s tournaments.In the women’s competition Namibia, South Africa and Zambia (Africa), USA, Uruguay and Paraguay (Pan America), Netherlands, Poland and Ukraine (Europe), Australia, New Zealand and Fiji (Oceania) have qualified for the World Cup, alongside hosts Oman. The final three spots will go to the top finishing teams at the Asia Hockey5s World Cup Qualifier.In the men’s competition Netherlands, Poland and Switzerland (Europe), Egypt, Kenya and Nigeria (Africa), USA, Trinidad & Tobago and Jamaica (Pan America) and Australia, New Zealand and Fiji (Oceania) have qualified for the World Cup alongside hosts Oman. The final three spots will go to the top finishing teams at the Asia Hockey5s World Cup Qualifier.

WAPDA overcome host team Mari Petroleum Company Limited 3-2 in finalAbdul Jabbar FaisalRAWALPINDI: Pakistan WAPDA overcame host team Mari Petroleum Company Limited (MPCL) 3-2 in the final of the 2nd Mari Petroleum Azdi Cup Hockey Tournament 2023 here at Lieutenant General Ashfaq Nadeem Hockey Stadium Ayub Park.Umar Bhatta, Tossiq Arshad, and Salman Razzak scored goal for WAPDA while Mohammad Sufyan Khan and Arbaaz Ahmed scored one goal each for Mari Petroleum. Yasir Khursheed International and Ameer Hamza performed the duties of umpiring while Asad Abbas and Irfan Tahir were reserve umpires. Technical Officials were Murtaza Bhatti, Asif Baig, Hamza Tufail, Gulfam Khokhar, Akhtar Ali and Rafiqur Rahman performed the responsibilities of judges well. At the end of the final match, the chief guest, Chairman Fuji Group of Companies, Waqar Ahmad Malik awarded the Pakistan WAPDA winning trophy along with prize money Rs 1.5 million. On this occasion, Secretary General Pakistan Hockey Federation Syed Haider Hussain, Syeda Shehla Raza, Tournament Director Olympian Nasir Ali, Olympian Shahnaz Sheikh, Olympian Naeem Akhtar, Olympian Saeed Khan, Olympian Rahim Khan, Olympian Danish Kaleem, Rana Shafiq International, Tournament Organizing Secretary Col. Mohammad Yamin, Assistant Tournament Director Major Tariq Wark, Assistant Tournament Director Raja Shuja Iqbal, Umpires Manager Zulfiqar Hussain, Assistant Umpires Manager Kamran Shah, Assistant Umpires Manager Mubarak Ali, and Assistant Media Coordinator Mohammad Hafeez were present.

Federation makes a change in the selection Committee, Mohammad Shafiq to replace Shakil AbbasiAbdul Jabbar FaisalISLAMABAD: Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) invited 36 players from different departments for the training camp for the upcoming Asian Games 2023, which will be rolled into action from August 21 (Monday) here at Nasser Bunda Hockey Stadium, Pakistan Sports Complex under the supervision of Shahnaz Sheikh. The Asian Games will be held from September 23 to October 8 in Hangzhou, China. According to the media department of PHF, all players have been advised to report to the camp commandant and head coach, Olympian Shahnaz Shaikh, on August 21st before 4 pm. Also, PHF designated Rana Mohammad Shafiq, a former gold medalist in the World Hockey Cup, as a member of the National Hockey Selection Committee after the approval of President PHF, Brig (Retd) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar. Rana Mohammad Shafiq, who clinched gold medals in the 1978 Asian Games and the 1978 World Cup, participated in 33 international matches. Rana Mohammad Shafiq has also served various roles within the national hockey teams, including manager, coach, selector, and camp commandant. Rana Mohammad Shafiq will replace Olympian Shakeel Abbasi.Also, PHF finalized the team management, as the president PHF Khalid Sajjad Khokhar nominated Olympian Shahnaz Shaikh (Head Coach/Camp Commandant), Olympian Dilawar Hussain, Olympian Shakeel Abbasi (coaches), and Amjad Ali (goalkeeper coach). Saeed Khan will be team manager while Brigadier Mohammad Yusuf Baig will be team doctor. Rana Nasrullah Khan's appointment has been as a physical trainer. Players included are as follows:Names of players: Akmal Hussain (WAPDA), Abdullah Ishtiaq Khan (MPCL), Waqar Ahmed (WAPDA), Ali Raza (Punjab), Abdullah Sheikh (Sindh), Mohammad Abdullah (MPCL), Arbaaz Ahmed (MPCL), Mohammad Sufyan Khan (KPK), Aqeel Ahmed (WAPDA), Mohammad Bilal Aslam (Customs), Osama Bashir (PAF), Mohammad Murtaza Yaqoob (WAPDA), Arbaaz Ayaz (Sindh), Ehtisham Aslam (MPCL), Mohammad Baqir (Punjab), Mohammad Nadeem Khan (KPK), Mohammad Imran (PAF), Syed Shahbaz Haider (Navy), Rana Abdul Waheed (WAPDA), Mohammad Imad (Customs), Mohammad Afraz (MPCL), Roman Khan (WAPDA), Arshad Liaquat (MPCL), Abdul Qayyum (Customs), Abdul Rahman (WAPDA), Waqar Ali (MPCL), Mohammad Arsalan (Punjab), Mohammad Umar Bhatta (WAPDA), Abdul Hanan Shahid (WAPDA), Mohammad Shahzeb Khan (Customs), Abdul Wahab (Sindh), Zakaria Hayat (Navy), Basharat Ali (Navy), Rana Waleed (Punjab), Hamza Fayyaz (Punjab), Abdul Rahman (PAF). 

Mari Petroleum Company Limited and Pakistan Navy lock horns till match ends 3-3Abdul Jabbar FaisalRAWALPINDI: Pakistan WAPDA and Army Colours registers comprehensive victories while Mari Petroleum Company Limited (MPCL), and Pakistan Navy locked horns till the final whistle on the second day of the 2nd Mari Petroleum Azadi Cup Hockey Tournament 2023 at Lt General Retired Ashfaq Nadeem Hockey Stadium Ayub Park Rawalpindi on Wednesday.In the first match of the day, Pakistan WAPDA stunned Pakistan Air Force (PAF) 7-1, as Taufiq Arshad scored 2 goals while Ejaz Ahmed, Abdul Rehman, Ali Ejaz, Ahmed Khan, and Hanan Shahid directed the ball in the goalpost once. Mohsin Hasan scored the only goal for Pakistan Air Force.The second match was played between Army Colours and Punjab Rangers. Pakistan Army exhibited a remarkable game and thrashed opponents 5-1. Owais Zahid scored 2 goals while Muzamil, Ghazanfar and Wasim Akram scored one goal each for Army Colours. Mohammad Baqir scored the single goal for Punjab Rangers.In the third match, host team of the tournament, Mari Petroleum Company Limited (MPCL) and Pakistan Navy scored each three goals in four quarters, as the players of both sides displayed top quality hockey and amused a handful hockey lovers with the game skills. Arbaaz Ahmed, Umeer Sattar and Arshad Liaquat scored one goal each for Mari Petroleum while Yasir Anwar, Hammad Ali and Mohammad Saber scored one goal each for Pakistan Navy. The match ended 3-3.On this occasion, Tournament Director Olympian Nasir Ali, Olympian Shahnaz Sheikh, Tournament Organizing Secretary Colonel Mohammad Yameen, Assistant Tournament Director Major Tariq Wark, Assistant Tournament Director Raja Shuja Iqbal, Umpires Manager Zulfikar Hussain, Assistant Umpires Manager Kamran Shah, Assistant Umpires Manager Mubarak Ali. , Event Media Coordinator Zulfikar Baig, and Assistant Media Coordinator Mohammad Hafeez were present in the stadium.Thursday’s Fixtures:Pakistan Police vs Army WhitesPakistan WAPDA vs Punjab RangersPakistan Air Force vs Army Colours