Green Shirts overcome Iran in the final 3-1, Mohammad Yahya declared Most Valuable PlayerAbdul Jabbar FaisalISLAMABAD: A sparking performance by the trio-Mohammad Yahya, Talal Ahmed, and Khizar Hayat- guided Pakistan to post a remarkable victory against Iran 3-1 in the final of the CAVA Under-18 Volleyball Championship, as the final score-line was 20-25, 25-18, 25-23, and 27-25.Accordin to a press release of Pakistan Volleyball Federation (PVF), Mohammad Yahya, Talal Ahmed, and Khizar Hayat produced notable performances and played a vital role in securing win for Pakistan. Players exhibited outstanding skills and determination throughout the match, significantly contributing to the team's success.The leadership and preparation efforts were made by Team Manager Khalid Waqar, Treasurer of the Pakistan Volleyball Federation. The coaching staff, including Head Coach Saeed Ahmed Khan, Assistant Coach Mohammad Akram, and Analyst Mohammad Suleman, have been instrumental in guiding the team to this prestigious victory.With this victory, the Pakistan U18 Men’s Volleyball Team has qualified for the 15th Asian Men’s U-20 Volleyball Championship, which will take place in Bahrain from 28th July to 4th August 2024.Best Awards of Championship:Best Setter: Talal AhmedBest Opposite Hitter: Mohammad YahyaBest Middle Blocker: JabranMost Valuable Player (MVP): Mohammad Yahya

Sports Bulletin ReportPort of Spain (Trinidad): The Antigua & Barbuda Falcons have confirmed the players they have signed ahead of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League draft. They have 12 confirmed players for the 2024 season and will have five spots to fill at the draft in July. The Falcons will feature Pakistani internationals Mohammad Amir, Imad Wasim and Fakhar Zaman, all of whom are currently featuring in the T20 World Cup which is taking place in the Caribbean and USA. Their overseas contingent will be rounded out by Australia’s Chris Green and Afghan all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai. Brandon King and Fabian Allen will be part of the Falcons squad for 2024 as well as hugely exciting Antiguan batter Jewel Andrew who starred at the Under 19 World Cup earlier this year. Names of Falcons players: Imad Wasim, Brandon King, Fabian Allen, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Amir, Chris Green, Fakhar Zaman, Hayden Walsh, Samar Springer, Kelvin Pitman, Jewel Andrew, Joshua James.

ISLAMABAD (Sports Desk): New Zealand and Spain will have the opportunity to play in the FIH Hockey Pro League in the 2024-25 season after beating France and Ireland, respectively, to win the FIH Hockey Nations Cup. The final of the FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup Poland 2023/24 saw the Black Sticks win in a shootout. Spain won the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup Spain 2023/24 in regulation time, having already defeated Ireland in the pool phase. (Men’s) Malaysia beat Austria (5-4): Malaysia concluded their FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup journey in Poland with a win, beating Austria 4-5 to finish seventh. The Speedy Tigers didn’t spare any time for the Austrians to settle down as Faizal Saari squared it for Abu Kamal Azrai to slot in after only two minutes. Saari got one for himself in the second quarter from a penalty corner in the 18th minute. The first effort saw a superb save from Austrian captain Fabian Unterkircher on the line but the retake was fired into the roof of the net.Austria pegged one back three minutes later as they found some rhythm. A penalty corner was upgraded to a penalty stroke and Fülöp Losonci made no mistake from the spot. However, they could not build on it as Malaysia got a penalty stroke that was fired in by Fitri Saari. A devastating start to the second half saw Faizal Saari grabbing a hat-trick with a thunderous strike in the 32nd minute, followed by a delicate one in the 33rd. Maximilian Scholz scored for Austria in the 34th minute from a penalty corner to blow the game wide open. The Malaysians were stunned and a lack of discipline saw Arthur Kucera finish a lovely team move with 11 minutes to go. Scholz got another one via a penalty corner in the 51st but that was it. (Men’s) Canada beat Korea (2-1): Canada’s top defensive performance helped them beat Korea 2-1 and finish fifth. The Red Caribou can arguably be considered the most improved team of the tournament in Gniezno. After leaking goals in the pool phase, the revival at the back has been admirable. With fifth place at stake, the Canadians had a strong start. In five minutes, Sean Davis served the first goal on a plate for Jude Nicholson. Two minutes later, defender Thomas Harris benefitted from a clearance to score Canada’s second. They had three more chances in the first quarter via penalty corners but couldn’t make it count. The Koreans began to play their usual game in the second quarter, but the defenders were not making it easy for them. The Canadian resistance was finally broken by Cheoleon Park in the 52nd minute. More chances came Korea’s way and Sean Davis chipped in at the back, with an on-the-line save from a penalty corner in the dying moments. In the end, it wasn’t meant to be as Korea finished sixth. (Men’s) South Africa beat Pakistan (4-3): South Africa won the bronze medal at the FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup in Poland after an entertaining 3-4 win over Pakistan. Conceding soft goals has been a problem for Pakistan throughout the tournament. The match to decide the third-best team in Gniezno also had one such incident. After a goalless first quarter that saw both teams creating chances, South Africa broke the deadlock in the 20th minute. It was a scruffy goal to let in after a failed clearance was slotted in by Samkelo Mvimbi.The lead did not last long as Abu Mahmood sent a penalty corner straight down the middle with two minutes remaining in the first half. The third quarter saw South Africa score a spectacular goal in the 34th minute. Matthew Guise-Brown’s penalty corner bounced off Abdullah Ishtiaq Khan’s gloves and Mustaphaa Cassiem jumped and smashed the ball in like a shuttlecock.  Abdul Rehman levelled the scores again within a minute. The final 15 minutes saw South Africa attacking with purpose. They were rewarded when captain Keenan Horner beautifully placed the ball to give them the lead in the 51st minute. That didn’t slow them down and Mustaphaa Cassiem added one more with two minutes to go. The sensational Hannan Shahid, who had a goal ruled out earlier, struck with a minute remaining but it was too little too late to make any difference. (Men’s) New Zealand 1-1 France (SO: 4-3): New Zealand beat France 4-3 in a shootout after the final finished 1-1 in normal time to win the FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup Poland 2023/24. A tight match was predicted as two sides heading to the Olympics in Paris were pitted against each other in the final. Winning the Nations Cup was not only about increasing confidence and morale but also about earning that prestigious ticket to the FIH Hockey Pro League next season.New Zealand and France respected each other and shared three quarters without a goal. That doesn’t mean there were no chances but both teams preferred the cautious approach. The Black Sticks had two penalty corners early in the game but it didn’t end in the back of the net. However, they went ahead after 53 minutes from Hugo Inglis’ brilliance on the right before finding Jonty Elmes, who volleyed it in. France hit back with three minutes remaining through the inevitable Victor Charlet, who fired in a penalty corner to send the game into a shootout.   (Women’s) Italy beat Korea (2-1): Italy scored at the death to break Korean hearts and bag a seventh-place finish at the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup in Terrassa. Federica Carta and Co were asking plenty of questions in the first quarter, but it was the Koreans that found the back of the net. In the 12th minute, Sujin An and Eunji Kim combined for an excellent opener. The Italian attackers were kept at bay thanks to some brilliant saves from the Korean goalkeeper, also named Eunji Kim.The Italians deservedly got their equaliser, 39 seconds into the second quarter. Antonella Bruni scored from the rebound after an initial shot from Ivanna Pessina. In the second half, Italian goalkeeper Lucia Ines Caruso stood out. The Koreans had three penalty corners on top of other chances but Caruso made crucial saves to keep it 1-1. (Women’s) Japan beat Canada (1-0): Japan held on to win 0-1 and finish fifth in a game they dominated. It was one-way traffic from start to finish as Japan went for it with all guns blazing. The conversion rate, however, is a cause for concern as they head to the French capital for the Olympic Games.In total, the Cherry Blossoms had 13 penalty corners in the game and scored from one of them. It came in the 19th minute. Yu Asai’s shot couldn’t find a way in and as Rowan Harris tried to clear the ball, Kanon Mori lobbed it past her. Rowan Harris was easily the best player on the pitch for the Canadians, bringing out her A-game and preventing a hammering.(Women’s) Chile bear New Zealand (2-1): Chile won the bronze medal at the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup in Spain with a 2-1 win over New Zealand, improving on their seventh-place finish at the previous edition. It was a wonderful way to say goodbye to captain and long-time international Camila Caram, who had announced her retirement. All three goals from the game were of supreme quality. The first goal came in the 41st minute when Josefa Salas received a pass from a long way out. With the keeper charging towards the striker, Salas controlled the ball brilliantly, before turning to her left and scoring into the bottom corner. Las Diablas had the momentum and scored one more from a well-executed penalty corner routine in the 53rd minute. Fernanda Flores started and finished the move, from an almost impossible angle. New Zealand did have their moment when Rose Tynan displayed sublime control in dribbling past a few players before lobbing it in. Sadly for the Black Sticks, it didn’t amount to anything. (Women’s) Spain beat Ireland (2-0): Spain defeated Ireland 2-0 to lift the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup Spain 2023/24 in what was a straightforward final. Having already dominated against Ireland in the tournament opener, the Spaniards must have been high on confidence going into the final. Despite the loss, Ireland can be proud of how well they have recovered from losing 5-1 on the first day. The final saw both goals come in the second quarter. Laia Vidosa and Patricia Alvarez combined well to open the scoring in the 25th minute. The first half finished with a penalty corner from Lola Riera, which ensured she finished as the top scorer of the tournament. Ireland created chances from open play and also won two penalty corners in the third and fourth quarter but none of them made it past Clara Perez, who kept the clean sheet. Patricia Alvarez, who won player of the match, kept it short and sweet. She expressed her excitement to be playing in the Olympic Games and the opportunity to join the FIH Hockey Pro League next season. She said: “I am very happy and proud of this team.”Awards (Men’s Event):1. Poligras Magic Skill Award: Seyong Oh (KOR) 2. Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament: Arthur Thieffry (FRA) 3. Best Junior Player of the Tournament: Hannan Shahid (PAK) 4. Top Scorers: Victor Charlet (FRA) and Faizal Saari (MAS)5. Best Player: Nic Woods (NZL) (Men’s) Standings: 1. New Zealand, 2. France, 3. South Africa, 4. Pakistan, 5. Canada, 6. Korea, 7. Malaysia, 8. Austria, 9. Poland.Awards (Women’s Event in Terrassa): 1.Poligras Magic Skill Award: Kim Eunji (KOR)2. Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament: Brooke Roberts (NZL)3. Best Junior Player of the Tournament: Blanca Perez (ESP)4. Top Scorer: Lola Riera (ESP)5. Best Player: Lola Riera (ESP)(Women’s) Standings: 1. Spain, 2. Ireland, 3. Chile, 4. New Zealand, 5. Japan, 6. Canada, 7. Italy, 8. Korea.

India outpay Pakistan by 6 runs in a low-scoring thriller contest in New YorkSports Bulletin ReportNew York (USA); Pacer Jasprit Bumrah (3 for 14) halted Green Shirts from achieving a meager target of 120 runs in 20 overs, as India successfully downed the opposition by 6 runs at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York in an ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 cricket match on Sunday.Naseem Shah took three for 21, Haris Rauf claimed three for 21 and Mohammad Amir snapped up two for 23 to bowl India out for 119, their second-lowest score in a T20 World Cup. Jasprit Bumrah led India’s fightback with figures of three for 14, while Hardik Pandya claimed two for 24 as Pakistan finished on 113 for seven on a substandard T20 pitch.Pakistan needed 18 runs in the last over and managed 11 runs, including two fours off the final three balls of the innings by Naseem Shah. Pakistan were in control of the proceedings when they were 57 for one at the halfway stage and then 83 for four after 15 overs, needing 37 off the last five overs.Babar Azam (13) and Mohammad Rizwan (31) stitched a 26-run first wicket partnership off 28 balls before Rizwan and Usman Khan (13) put on 31 runs off 33 balls. However, the lower-order batters struggled to put bat to ball and dominated India bowlers, although Imad Wasim scored 15 and Fakhar Zaman chipped in with 13.India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant was the top-scorer of the match with a lucky 42 off 31 balls, including six fours. In Mohammad Amir’s second over, the sixth of the innings, Pant could have been caught twice; instead, he got 11 runs before eventually falling to Amir in the 15th over.Virat Kohli, who had given Pakistan a heartbreak in Melbourne two years ago with an 82 not out, lasted just three balls this time. Rohit Sharma joined Kohli in the dug-out seven balls later as India slipped to 19 for two in 2.4 overs.Axar Patel (20) added 39 runs off 30 balls for the third wicket with Pant, while Pant put on 31 runs off 22 balls with Suryakumar Yadav for the fourth wicket to take India to 89 for four. At that stage, Pakistan fought back to claim the remaining six wickets for 30 runs in just over eight overs as India collapsed to 119 all out in 19 overs.

Sports Bulletin ReportISLAMABAD: Pakistan Volleyball Team claimed the silver medal in the AVC Volleyball Challenger Cup 2024, as they succumbed against heavyweights Qatar in the final in straight games. The final score-line was 25-22, 25-20, and 25-19.According to available information from abroad, Green Shirts faced high-ranked Qatar in a thrilling final of the AVC Challenger Cup 2024. Pakistan's commendable performance throughout the tournament secured them the second position and a Silver Medal, marking a significant achievement for the team and the Pakistan Volleyball Federation (PVF).Musawer Khan (Best Middle Blocker), Nasir Ali (Best Libero), and Murad Khan (Best Opposite Hitter) were awarded of the tournament. The PVF extends its heartfelt gratitude to the local Pakistani community in Bahrain for their unwavering support and enthusiasm throughout the tournament. The presence of Saqib, Ambassador of Pakistan to Bahrain, at the final match was a significant morale booster for the team, reflecting the strong support from the diplomatic mission.

Sports Bulletin ReportABBOTTABAD: Balochistan and Punjab claimed triumphs in the ongoing PBCC Blind Cricket T-20 Super League 2024, after beating their respective opponents at APS School Cricket Ground Abbottabad on Monday.Balochistan beat KPK by 1 wicket: In an exhilarating T20 match, the Balochistan Blind cricket team triumphed over KP in a nail-biting finish, chasing down a formidable target of 213 runs with just one ball to spare.The match commenced with KPK Blind setting a challenging target, scoring 212 runs for the loss of 7 wickets in their allotted 20 overs. The standout performances came from Badar Munir (B2) and Mohammad Rashid (B3). Badar dazzled with a rapid 58 off 30 balls, including nine boundaries and one six. Rashid anchored the innings with a well-crafted 95 not out off 60 balls, hitting 14 fours. Bashir Khan (B1) and Mohsin Khan (B3) from the Balochistan side put up impressive bowling performances, taking two wickets each.In response, Balochistan managed to chase the target in a sensational way, scoring 216 for the loss of 9 wickets in 19.5 overs. Niamatullah (B3) led the charge with a solid 61 off 46 balls, supported by timely contributions from Imran Sarwar (B3), who remained not out on 33 off 18 balls, and Naseeb Ullah (B2), who scored a quickfire 21 off 12 balls. The chase saw dramatic turns with crucial wickets falling at regular intervals. Talha Iqbal (B3) from KPK delivered with the ball, taking two crucial wickets, including that of the key player Niamatullah. Niamatullah got the Man of the Match award.Punjab beat Sindh by 37 runs: In a high-octane first innings, the Punjab Blind cricket team delivered an impressive batting performance, scoring a commanding 252 runs for the loss of 5 wickets in their allotted 20 overs against Sindh.The Punjab Blind team exhibited an outstanding batting effort, with key contributions from Moeen Aslam (B2), Akmal Hayat Nasir (B3), and Mati Ullah (B3). Moeen Aslam was in exceptional form, scoring a blistering 51 off just 22 balls, hitting ten boundaries with a remarkable strike rate of 231.82. Akmal Hayat Nasir followed suit with a robust 68 off 44 balls, including ten fours and one six. Mati Ullah added crucial runs with a rapid 32 off 16 balls, while Israr Ul Hassan (B2) provided a solid finish, remaining not out with 24 runs off 13 balls. SanaUllah (B3) also contributed significantly towards the end, scoring an unbeaten 21 off just 8 balls, boasting a strike rate of 262.50. Idrees Saleem (B1) took 2 wickets, while Mohammad Salman and Safdar claimed a wicket a piece.In reply, Sindh managed to scored 215 runs in 20 overs for the loss of 6 wickets. Sindh chase was led by a valiant effort from Mohammad Safdar (B3), who scored a brilliant 58 off 36 balls, including nine boundaries and one six. Ayoub Khan (B2) provided solid support with 46 runs off 34 balls. Despite their efforts, the Punjab Blind bowlers managed to keep crucial breakthroughs at key moments. Nisar Ali (B2) played a remarkable innings, remaining unbeaten with 49 runs off just 26 balls, hitting six fours and one six. However, Sindh middle order struggled to build on the momentum, facing tight bowling from Punjab Blind. Matiullah, Kazimullah and Sajid Nawaz took 2 wickets each. Matiullah won the Man of the Match award.

Sports Bulletin ReportISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) has announced to stage a Summer Camp for kids, which will run from June 24 to August 1, 2024, at PTF Tennis Complex Islamabad.According to an official of PTF, summer camp aims for a healthy and engaging activity for children during their summer vacations, and provide an excellent opportunity to learn and enjoy tennis, make new friends, and enhance their physical fitness.President-PTF Aisam ul Haq Qureshi said: "The summer camp is a nice initiative of PTF for kids. It's a wonderful chance for them to enjoy tennis in the beautiful environment of PTF, and to learn the sport with our certified coaches."

Shoukat HussainABBOTTABAD: Sindh and Balochistan have won their matches on the day-3 of the PBCC Blind Cricket T-20 Super League 2024, after beating KPK, and Punjab respectively by 6, and 7 wickets at APS School Cricket Ground Abbottabad on Sunday.Sindh beat KPK by 6 wickets: KPK batted first and posted a challenging total of 249 for 9 runs in their allotted 20 overs. The innings was anchored by Mohammad Rashid, who played an explosive knock of 87 runs off 46 balls, including 13 fours and 1 six, with a strike rate of 189.13. Contributions from Ahtisham Ul Haq (33 off 23 balls) and Badar Munir (25 off 15 balls) further bolstered the KPK total. Despite a strong start, KP Blind's middle order faltered against a disciplined Sindh bowling attack, resulting in frequent wickets during the latter part of their innings. For Sindh, Mohammad Irfan and Mohammad Noman claimed two wickets each while Mohammad Idrees took 1.In reply, Sindh Blind chased down the formidable target of 250, finishing at 251/4 in 19.2 overs to secure a remarkable 6-wicket victory. Sindh’s chase was spearheaded by a magnificent century from Ayoub Khan, who remained unbeaten on 103 off 62 balls, featuring 13 fours at a strike rate of 166.13. His masterclass innings, combined with strong support from Mohammad Safdar (41 off 26 balls) and Idrees Saleem (26 off 14 balls), guided Sindh to a successful run chase. Fakhar Abbas and Mohammad Sohail claimed a wicket a piece. Ayoub Khan got the Man of the Match award.Balochistan beat Punjab by 7 wickets: Punjab Blind batted first and posted an impressive total of 211/8 in their allotted 20 overs. Moeen Aslam led the charge with a quick-fire 40 off 21 balls, including six boundaries, at a strike rate of 190.48. He was well-supported by Akmal Hayat Nasir, who contributed a crucial 37 off 21 balls. Other notable contributions came from Anees Javed, who retired out after scoring 32 off 28 balls, and Mati Ullah, who added 28 off 21 balls.Balochistan bowlers, despite the initial onslaught, managed to put up a commendable effort. Mohammad Shahzeb was the standout performer, taking three key wickets for 33 runs in his 4 overs. Kamran Akhtar and Shahzaib Haider also chipped in with one wicket each, conceding 36 and 45 runs respectively in their 4-over spells.In reply, Balochistan started their innings with a determined approach, chasing down the target in just 16.2 overs with a score of 213/3. Kamran Akhtar was the star of the innings, playing a scintillating knock of 100 not out off 51 balls. His innings was laced with 15 fours and one six, maintaining a strike rate of 196.08. Kamran's explosive performance set the tone for Balochistan's successful chase.Naseeb Ullah provided excellent support with a powerful innings of 82 off 47 balls, hitting 13 fours. The opening partnership between Kamran and Naseeb was crucial, adding 196 runs for the first wicket, and laying a solid foundation for the chase.Punjab bowlers struggled to contain the aggressive batting of Balochistan Blind. Israr Ul Hassan was the most economical bowler, taking 1 wicket for 32 runs in his 4 overs. Mati Ullah managed to pick up 2 wickets but conceded 27 runs in his 2 overs. The rest of the Punjab bowlers were unable to make significant inroads, allowing Balochistan Blind to chase down the target comfortably. Man of the Match award went to Kamran Akhtar.

Sports Bulletin ReportISLAMABAD: Pakistan will take on Chinese Taipei in their opening match of the 22nd Asian Men’s Squash Team Championship, which will be rolling into action on June 12, 2024, in Dalian, China.According to an official of the Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF), 14 teams from all over Asia will participate in the Men’s event. Pakistan team has been placed in Pool “C” along with Korea, Chinese Taipei, and China.Pakistan’s four-member team Mohammad Asim Khan, Noor Zaman, Nasir Iqbal, and Farhan Mehboob, has left for China, on Sunday. Three officials, Fahim Gul (Coach), Waseem Umar (Physical Trainer), and Air Cdre (Retd) Amir Nawaz (Manager) are traveling with the national players.

Sports Bulletin ReportGniezno (Poland): France secured a ticket to the final of FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup Poland 2023-24 with a last-minute winner against South Africa in the semi-finals. They will play New Zealand for the top prize after the Black Sticks edged Pakistan.(Men’s) Austria 1-1 Canada (SO:1-3): Canada shocked Austria in the shootout to qualify for the fifth-place match after the game finished 1-1 in normal time. After conceding early goals in their previous games, the Canadians started slow, focusing on defence. However, it wasn’t that both teams didn’t create chances. Canada had their best 30 minutes since arriving in Gniezno but the score remained 0-0 after the first half.The Red Caribou opened the scoring in the end as Hudson Loh made a great run into the circle before a spectacular finish in the 38th minute for his first international goal. The Canadians were controlling the game better but with six minutes remaining, a penalty corner saw Florian Hackl equalise. The shootout saw Loh score the all-important goal along with Brendan Guraliuk and Roopkanwar Dhillon. Fabian Unterkircher scored the only goal for the Austrians. (Men’s) Korea beat Malaysia (4-3): Korean captain Jaehyeon Kim stole the show as they beat Malaysia 3-4 in a seven-goal thriller in Gniezno. The first quarter saw plenty of chances as two pacy sides went about their business but the scoreline remained 0-0. Fortunately, that was not a sign of things to come. The second quarter saw four goals starting with the Malaysians. Aiman Rozemi stole the ball from midfield and ran from the left before crossing towards Faizal Saari. The pass was blocked but the rebound fell kindly as the duo combined for Saari to tap in. Sung Yeob Kim made it 1-1 from a penalty corner before the Koreans took the lead through Inwoo Seo, who slid in at the far post to meet a Sunghyun Kim pass. The match became end-to-end as Saari got his and Malaysia’s second in the final minute of the first half. The goals were coming thick fast with Malaysia going ahead as Marhan Jalil squared one for Abu Kamal Azrai to tap in from a penalty corner in the 35th minute. Three minutes later, Dohyun Lim made it 3-3. Junking Rim put the Koreans in front, reacting smartly from a penalty corner in the 47th minute. However, the hero of the day was goalkeeper Jaehyeon Kim, who produced a brilliant penalty stroke save among other brilliant moments. (Men’s) France beat South Africa (2-1): France broke South African hearts at the very end to reach the final of the FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup in Poland. It took almost until the end of the first quarter to see France in full swing, creating some chances. The second quarter saw them step it up, winning a penalty corner in the 16th minute. However, it did not work in their favour and a quick and devastating counterattack involving Tevin Kok and Nqobile Ntuli ended with the latter scoring at the other end. The Olympic hosts continued to apply pressure but were not able to break a sturdy South African backline. The best chance for Les Bleus came when Timothée Clément took advantage of a rare defensive error from their opponents only to fire inches wide. After many attempts, a goal came out of nowhere when Gaspard Baumgarten deflected a pass that travelled with venom. The momentum from the goal meant that South Africa had to give it all as the French attacked. A flurry of penalty corners in the last minute of the game saw Victor Charlet find the gap in style.   (Men’s) New Zealand  beat Pakistan (2-1): New Zealand will face France in the final of the FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup after edging Pakistan 2-1 in the semi-final. New Zealand came into the game with a strategy, and it took only two minutes for the Black Sticks to go in front as Kane Russell fired an unstoppable penalty corner in. The confidence from the early goal meant that New Zealand was dictating the tempo.They got their second with four minutes remaining in the first quarter. Hugo Inglis did brilliantly on the right and found Jake Smith, who provided a sliding finish on the other side. Pakistan’s attacking flair has been a talking point of the tournament. However, they were not able to find that extra gear to score a goal in the first three quarters. Credit to New Zealand’s defenders, who had the discipline to find a solution for every problem that was thrown their way. The Green Shirts, however, managed to find a way as a lovely team move was finished by Ashraf Rana Waheed with five minutes remaining. But it wasn’t meant to be for Pakistan, who will now play in the third-place match against South Africa.