Pakistan vs Japan: end of the line for green shirts in Asian Games hockey

Hangzhou: The Pakistan hockey team were knocked out from the Asian Games, 2023 as they suffered a 3-2 defeat to Japan in the semi-finals in Hangzhou, China, on Monday.

Pakistan are out of the medal race and has finished third in Pool A after their 2-3 defeat against Japan.

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Previously, Pakistan’s head coach and team manager, Saeed Khan, issued a national apology for the humiliating 10-2 loss to India that occurred on Saturday.

“I apologise to the nation for this huge defeat against India. We have never lost with such a big margin against India. I was a team member when we defeated India 7-1 in the Asian Games held in New Delhi in 1982. Though we were expecting defeat against a powerful Indian team ranked 3rd in the world, we never thought of losing with such a huge margin,” he said.

Earlier, a Pakistani athlete participating in the ongoing Asian Games 2023 in Hangzhou drew international attention as she continued running long after the race had officially concluded.

This remarkable yet distressing spectacle was a poignant symbol of the challenges that many Pakistani athletes face. It exposed the systemic issues of underfunding, lack of proper training facilities, and limited support from the government.

The incident occurred during the women’s 1,500m race, where the Pakistani athlete struggled to keep pace with her competitors. As the race came to an end, she found herself significantly behind the leading pack. Despite the clear indication that the race was over, she persevered to complete the grueling course