AMSTERDAM (Kashmir English): Pakistan have finally ended their long wait for a victory at the Hockey World Cup, defeating Japan 4-3 in a classification match at the ongoing 2026 tournament in the Netherlands.
The win marked Pakistan’s first World Cup victory in 16 years, bringing an end to a remarkable 6,017-day wait for success on hockey’s biggest stage.
Pakistan had already been eliminated from contention for the World Cup title after failing to win any of their first three matches and being knocked out in the second round. The four-time world champions were then placed in the classification phase for positions ninth to 16th.
Against Japan, Pakistan showed impressive fighting spirit after falling two goals behind during the match. The national team mounted a strong comeback to secure a thrilling 4-3 victory.
Rana Waheed was the star of the match, scoring twice, while Hammaduddin and Hanan Shahid contributed one goal each.
Pakistan were also without their regular captain Abu Bakr, who missed the match because of injury. Moin Shakeel took over the captaincy in his absence.
The victory was particularly significant because Pakistan had not won a World Cup match since the 2010 tournament, when they defeated Spain 2-1.
Pakistan missed the 2014 World Cup, while they failed to win a single match at the 2018 World Cup. The national team also failed to qualify for the 2023 edition, making their return to the 2026 tournament after an eight-year absence a significant achievement.
Although Pakistan’s hopes of lifting the World Cup trophy have ended, the comeback victory over Japan provides a much-needed boost for the national team and its supporters.
For one of the most successful teams in World Cup hockey history, the 4-3 win represents an important step as Pakistan look to rebuild their status on the international stage.
