Sports Bulletin

Abdul Hanan Shahid to lead Green Shirts, Pakistan to face India on October 27Abdul Jabbar FaisalISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) on Tuesday unfolded the names of players and officials for the forthcoming international hockey fixture, the Sultan Johor Hockey Cup, which will be played at Taman Daya Hockey Stadium in Johor Bahru, Malaysia from October 27 to November 4, 2023.According to an official of PHF, after the approval of the President PHF Brigadier (Retd) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar, 21 junior players and 7 officials have been announced for the 11th Sultan Johor Hockey Cup 2023. Besides Pakistan, Australia, India, Germany, Great Britain, Malaysia, New Zealand, and South Africa will participate in the nine-day prestigious hockey showpiece.All eight teams have been divided into two Pools. Australia, Germany, Great Britain, and South Africa are in Pool A while host Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, and three times champions India are in Pool B. India will defend the title, as they defeated Australia in the final of 2022.Names of players (21): Ali Raza (Punjab), Abdul Rafi (Sindh), Arbaaz Ahmed (Vice-Captain-Mari Petroleum), Mohammad Sufyan Khan (Mari Petroleum), Ehtisham Aslam (Mari Petroleum), Murtaza Yaqub (WAPDA), Arbaaz Ayaz (Sindh), Zakaria Hayat (Navy), Arshad Liaquat (Mari Petroleum), Abuzar (Customs), Abdul Wahab (Sindh), Abdul Qayyum (Customs), Abdul Hanan Shahid (Captain-WAPDA), Basharat Ali (Navy), Hamza Fayyaz (Customs), Abdul Rehman (WAPDA), Ghazanfar Ali (Customs), Rana Waleed (Navy), Mohammad Arsalan (Punjab), Mohammad Imad (Customs) and Faizan Janjua, goalkeeper (Customs).Team Officials: Lt. Col (Retd) Asif Naz Khokhar (manager), Olympian Abdul Hanif Khan (head coach), Roelment Oltamans (consultant), Asif Ahmed Khan (coach), Mohammad Ali (coach), Olympian Shakeel Abbasi (coach), video analyst Nadeem Khan Lodhi (video analyst).Schedule: 27 October 2023: India vs Pakistan27 October 2023: Malaysia vs New Zealand27 October 2023: Australia vs Great Britain28 October 2023: Germany vs South Africa28 October 2023: Pakistan vs New Zealand28 October 2023: Malaysia vs India30 October 2023: South Africa vs Great Britain30 October 2023: Australia vs Germany30 October 2023: India vs New Zealand31 October 2023: Germany vs Great Britain31 October 2023: South Africa vs Australia31 October 2023: Pakistan vs MalaysiaNovember 3, 2023: SemifinalsNovember 4, 2023: final

Sports Bulletin ReportLausanne (Switzerland): Hockey at Asian Games 2023 came to an end today with the Indian men's team and Chinese women's team claiming the gold medals and securing qualification to the Olympic Games Paris 2024! India and Japan faced each other in the men’s final yesterday with India registering a 5-1 win to secure their fourth gold medal in the competition's history, and Olympic qualification. In the women’s competition it was China taking on Korea in the finals. China edged the finals with a 2-0 win and in the process collected their 4th women’s Hockey gold at the Asian Games.Following India’s victory in the men’s competition Japan, China, Korea, Malaysia and Pakistan will now move on to the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers 2024 where they will get a second opportunity to qualify for the Olympic Games Paris 2024.The men’s finals saw Japan do what they do best, maintaining an incredibly compact defensive structure and frustrating the free flowing Indian attack for most of the first half, but India managed to create a breakthrough just before half time, with Manpreet Singh putting them on the board. India scored three quick goals in the second half to snatch all the incentive and while Japan added a goal in the final quarter, India came away comfortable winners through a 5-1 scoreline, securing the gold medal.In the women’s competition, India and Korea finished level on points in Pool A, having won 3 matches each, while playing out a draw in their head-to-head matchup. India finished first thanks to their superior goal difference. In Pool B, Japan won all four of their matches taking the top spot, while China, who lost to Japan despite dominating the encounter, finished second by winning all the remaining pool matches. China dominated India in the first semi-final, winning 4-0 against their higher ranked opponents, thanks to their stellar work in the penalty corners, which gave them 3 of their 4 goals. In the second semi-final Japan and Korea could not be separated in regulation time, ending the game in a 2-2 tie, but it was Korea who held their nerve in the ensuing shoot-out to qualify for the final. In the women’s final, China got on the board early through a goal scored by Yi Chen and carried that lead into the half-time interval, dominating possession and not allowing Korea to sustain a long spell of territorial dominance. The second half followed a similar pattern with China maintaining great discipline, not conceding a single penalty corner through the game and added a late goal via Meirong Zout to seal the win and the gold medal. A total of 12 teams, in each of the men’s and women’s categories, will compete in Hockey at the Olympic Games. Hosts France have gained direct qualification. Australia (men and women) were winners of the Oceania Cup, which sealed their qualification, while Netherlands (men and women) qualified as the European champions. Indian men and Chinese women have now clinched their spots at the Olympics through their gold medal victories at the Asian Games. The winners of each of the remaining 2 continental championships in the Americas and Africa will also gain direct qualification to the upcoming Olympic Games. The FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers 2024, which will be held in January 2024, provide a second opportunity for teams to qualify for the remaining 6 spots at the Olympic Games. 

Sports Bulletin ReportHangzhou (China): India beat Pakistan 10-2 in the pool match of the ongoing Asian Games, as the winners have confirmed their berth in the semifinal. The match between Pakistan and Japan will decide the second semifinalist team of the group, as the match will be played on October 2, 2023.The Indian hockey team, which is ranked third in the world, scored two goals in the first quarter of the game against the Pakistan hockey team, which ranked 15th in the world. In the first 8 minutes of the match, Mandeep Singh secured the initial field goal for India, granting them an early advantage. Subsequently, in the 11th and 17th minutes, Harmanpreet Singh further solidified India's position, finding the net from penalty corners. Sumit added to India's tally with a fourth goal, expertly netted in the 30th minute of play. As the match progressed into the third quarter, Harmanpreet Singh showcased his penalty corner prowess once again, scoring in the 33rd and 34th minutes, affirming India's dominance on the scoreboard. In the 38th minute of the game, Mohammad Sufiyan Khan netted a crucial goal for Pakistan via a penalty corner. Just three minutes later, Varun Kumar of India demonstrated his prowess with a well-executed field goal in the 41st minute. However, Pakistan swiftly retaliated, securing their second goal in the 45th minute through Rana Abdul Waheed via another penalty corner. India continued to battle fiercely, with Shamsher Singh notching their eighth goal in the 46th minute. Lalit Kumar of India showcased his skills with a field goal in the 49th minute, further solidifying India's position. Varun Kumar stepped up once again for India, sealing their victory with a goal through a penalty corner in the 54th minute.

Sports Bulletin ReportLausanne (Switzerland): International Hockey Federation (FIH) on Thursday announced that Oman would host the FIH Olympic Qualifier following the decision to withdraw the hosting of one of the Men’s FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers from Pakistan due to the recent developments in the governance situation of the Pakistan Hockey Federation.The tournament will be held in Muscat from 15 to 21 January 2024. The other three FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers will be played in China (Women’s – 15-21 January 2024) and Spain (Women’s and Men’s – 13-21 January). 6 Women’s and 6 Men’s teams will qualify for Paris 2024 through these FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers, for which the participating teams from Oceania and Europe are already known.Australia and the Netherlands (Women’s and Men’s) have already secured their spot at the Paris 2024 hockey Olympic tournaments by winning the 2023 Oceania Cup and EuroHockey Championships respectively, therefore joining hosts France.The Asian Games - being played currently in Hangzhou, China - as well as the upcoming Pan American Games and African Hockey Road to Paris tournament will determine the remaining teams qualifying directly for next year’s Olympics (3 Women’s and 3 Men’s teams) as well as the teams playing the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers. The Paris 2024 hockey Olympic tournaments will take place from 27 July to 9 August next year.

Ahmed nets an impressive five goals, Waheed and Afraz contribute three goals each  Sports Bulletin ReportHangzhou (China): Pakistan hockey team stunned Uzbekistan by 18-2 in the Pool Match of the ongoing Asian Games 2023 hockey event in Hangzhou, China on Thursday.Pakistan hockey team's formidable form persisted as they clinched a commanding victory over Uzbekistan, triumphing by a resounding eighteen goals to two in their third pool match. Right from the outset, Pakistan established their dominance on the field, relentlessly slotting consecutive goals.Impressively, they have amassed a total of 34 goals across their three pool encounters thus far. Arbaaz Ahmed showcased his scoring prowess by netting an impressive five goals, closely followed by Rana Waheed and Afraz, each contributing three goals. Umar Bhatta and Abdul Rehman exhibited their skill with two goals apiece, while Arshad Liaquat, Ruman Khan, and Sufyan Khan each notched one goal in the remarkable performance against Uzbekistan.In the ongoing Asian Games hockey competition, the Pakistan hockey team remains steadfast in their position at the top of the points table, securing victories in all three of their matches thus far. Trailing closely behind is their formidable rival, India, currently holding the second spot, and Japan in third place, both after two matches.The anticipation for an electrifying encounter is building up as the Pakistan hockey team gears up to clash against their arch-rivals, India, in their upcoming fourth pool match scheduled for September 30 and set to play at 15:45 pm (PST) in the evening.The competition boasts a total of twelve participating teams, segregated into two competitive pools. Pool A comprises teams from India, Japan, Bangladesh, Singapore, Uzbekistan, and Pakistan, while in Pool B, the challenging lineup includes teams from Korea, Malaysia, China, Oman, Thailand, and Indonesia. 

Sports Bulletin ReportHangzhou (China): Pakistan crushed Bangladesh by 5-2 in an Asian Games hockey match in Hangzhou, China, as Green Shirts claimed the second victory in a row in the regional hockey competition. The Pakistan lads showcased their mettle with yet another triumph. In a hard-fought contest, Pakistan emerged victorious in their second pool match against Bangladesh, triumphing with a decisive score-line 5-2 after four quarters.Despite of going down in the 19th minute of the match, when Bangladesh earned the lead through a penalty corner, Pakistan rallied valiantly and Afraz came to the fore, leveling the score with a field goal in the 30th minute 1-1.In the 40th minute of the game, Pakistan's striker Shahzeb Khan fortified Pakistan's advantage by notching a field goal. Shortly after, in the 43rd minute, Pakistan's left striker Mohammad Imad extended the lead by slotting the third goal for the team. Bangladesh managed a narrow the gap, striking a field goal in the 46th minute. However, Pakistan remained relentless, as drag flick maestro Sufyan Khan thundered a rapid flick from a penalty corner, securing Pakistan's fourth goal in the 48th minute. In the 57th minute of the game, Pakistan's talented drag flick specialist, Arbaaz Ahmed, showcased his exceptional skills by executing a precise and swift drag flick during a critical penalty corner, resulting in Pakistan's fifth goal of the match.

Arbaaz and Arshad score three goals each, Green Shirts to face Bangladesh in their next fixtureSports Bulletin ReportHangzhou (China): Eight times gold medal winners, Pakistan outclassed Singapore by 11 goals in field hockey event of the ongoing 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou China, as losers could not score a solitary goal in all four quarters.Arbaaz Ahmed and Arshad Liaquat demonstrated exceptional prowess by netting three goals each. Additionally, contributions from Abdul Rehman, Mohammad Imad, Afraz, Sufyan Khan, and Rana Waheed, with one goal apiece.The Pakistan hockey team is scheduled to play their second match against Bangladesh on September 26 at 12:45 pm Pakistan time. In the Asian Games hockey competitions, twelve teams are participating, divided into two pools. Pool A comprises teams from India, Japan, Bangladesh, Singapore, Uzbekistan, and Pakistan, while Pool B includes teams from Korea, Malaysia, China, Oman, Thailand, and Indonesia. 

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