Pakistan, Wales play out thrilling 3-3 draw in Hockey World Cup

AMSTERDAM: Pakistan were held to a 3-3 draw by Wales in a thrilling Pool D encounter at the FIH Hockey World Cup in Amsterdam on Monday, with both teams sharing a point after a closely fought contest.

The result leaves Pakistan with one point from their opening two matches of the tournament after they suffered a 4-1 defeat against England in their opening game.

Pakistan made an ideal start against Wales, with Abdul Rehman putting the Green Shirts ahead early in the contest.

Wales, however, responded strongly and turned the match around in the second quarter.

Gareth Furlong levelled the score from a penalty corner before Rhys Bradshaw put Wales ahead shortly afterwards.

Pakistan were also reduced to 10 men for a period after Sufyan Khan was shown a yellow card, giving Wales an opportunity to increase the pressure.

The Green Shirts regrouped after the interval and produced a spirited response in the final quarter.

Sufyan Khan returned from his suspension and made an immediate impact, converting a penalty corner to bring Pakistan level.

The momentum then swung back in Pakistan’s favour when Hannan Shahid put his side ahead again after his effort took a deflection and found the net.

With Pakistan seemingly on course for their first victory of the tournament, Wales fought back once again.

Furlong converted a penalty stroke to score his second goal of the match and restore parity at 3-3, ensuring that neither side could claim all three points.

The draw leaves Pakistan and Wales with a point apiece from their first two matches and keeps both teams in contention in Pool D.

For Pakistan, the result represents an improvement after a difficult opening encounter against England.

The Green Shirts were beaten 4-1 by England in the final of the World Cup qualifiers in Ismailia in March, although reaching the final was enough to secure their place in the World Cup.

Pakistan had entered the tournament with considerable expectations after ending an eight-year absence from the World Cup.

The four-time world champions had missed the previous edition but secured their return by reaching the final of the qualifying tournament in Egypt.

The 2026 World Cup is being jointly hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands from August 15 to 30, with Pakistan placed in Pool D alongside England, India and Wales.

The official tournament schedule lists Amsterdam as the venue for Pool D matches.

Pakistan will now face arch-rivals India on Wednesday in their third Pool D match, a fixture that could prove crucial to their hopes of progressing to the next stage.

The Green Shirts will need to build on the attacking resilience shown against Wales while tightening their defence, particularly after conceding three goals despite twice taking the lead in the second half.

The draw also gives Pakistan an opportunity to revive their campaign after the setback against England. With the pool still finely poised, a positive result against India could significantly strengthen their position heading into the latter stages of the group phase.

Pakistan remain one of the most successful teams in World Cup history, having won the title four times.

The team’s return to the global tournament after eight years has generated renewed interest in the national side, which is seeking to restore some of the country’s former stature in international hockey.

The FIH’s pre-tournament profile notes Pakistan’s four World Cup titles and highlights the team’s rebuilding process following several difficult years.