Pakistan reach Junior Asia Hockey Cup final after beating Japan

MUSCAT: Pakistan’s junior hockey team has stormed into the final of the Junior Asia Hockey Cup, defeating Japan 4-2 in a thrilling semifinal clash.

Team captain Hannan Shahid led from the front, scoring two crucial goals against Japan. Sufyan Khan and Basharat Ali added one goal each, sealing Pakistan’s well-deserved victory.

Earlier in the tournament, Pakistan showcased an unbeaten run in the group stages. In their final group match on Sunday, they triumphed over Malaysia, securing their spot in the semifinals.

Sufyan Khan was the star of the match against Malaysia, scoring a hat-trick — his second of the tournament.

Pakistan displayed a dominant performance, coming from behind after Malaysia equalized early in the first half. The team then unleashed a flurry of four goals, overwhelming their opponents.

Goalkeeper Faizan Janjua’s exceptional saves earned him the Man of the Match award for his stellar performance.

With momentum on their side, Pakistan faced Japan in the semifinal and delivered another remarkable display. Now, the team looks ahead to the final, aiming to clinch the coveted Junior Asia Hockey Cup title.

It is worth noting that Pakistan remained unbeaten throughout the Junior Asia Hockey Cup up to the semifinals. The second semifinal will be played between India and Malaysia, with the winner set to face Pakistan in the final.

Read Also: Zimbabwe vs Pakistan: Green shirts win 2nd T20 by 10 wickets

Earlier, Pakistan win the Blind T20 Cricket World Cup after beating Bangladesh in the final. Pakistan won all seven of their matches on their way to being crowned the champions of the 2024 iteration of the Blind T20 World Cup, becoming the first team other than India to win the tournament. India did not participate in the tournament as they were not given permission to travel by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

Similarly, Pakistan beat Zimbabwe by 10 wickets and won second T20 of the three-match series. Spinner Sufiyan Muqeem took career-best figures of five wickets for three runs in 2.4 overs. His performance surpassed the previous T20 record for Pakistan jointly held by pacer Umar Gul and spinner Imad Wasim.