Japan’s ongoing Asian Games 2026 hockey event saw Pakistan thrash Oman 7-2 to book a place in the semi-final against traditional rivals India.
On the other hand, after the cricket event’s quarter-final was washed out by rain, the national team also qualified for the semi-final on the basis of its better world ranking.
On Tuesday, in the last league match of the men’s hockey competition played at Kawasaki Jukou Stadium in Japan, the national team dominated from the very beginning.
By the end of the first half, Pakistan had a 2-1 lead. However, in the second half, Pakistani forwards tore apart Oman’s defence and launched wave after wave of attacks to score a flurry of goals.
Rana Waheed’s hat-trick and brilliant scoring
In this important match, Rana Waheed delivered an outstanding performance by scoring a hat-trick, while Sufyan Khan found the net twice.
Among the other players, Ghaznfar Ali and Muhammad Imad scored one goal each and played a key role in the team’s decisive victory.
Pool B points and Pakistan’s position
After this impressive victory, the Green Shirts secured second position in Pool B with 12 points, while Malaysia remained at the top with 15 points.
Out of their five pool matches, Pakistan won four and suffered their only defeat at the hands of Malaysia.
The national team’s forward line has produced an outstanding performance throughout the tournament, scoring 28 goals, while opposing teams have managed to score only eight goals against them. Pakistan will now face traditional rivals India in the semi-final on October 1.
Cricket team enters semi-final due to rain
There is also good news for Pakistan in the men’s cricket event of the Asian Games 2026. Pakistan’s quarter-final against Hong Kong in the Japanese city of Nishin was cancelled due to rain without a single ball being bowled.
The cancellation of the match meant that Pakistan secured a place in the semi-final without playing, thanks to its better world ranking, while Hong Kong’s journey came to an end.
Interestingly, a few hours later, the match scheduled between India and Afghanistan was also washed out by rain, and India also advanced to the next stage on the basis of its better ranking.
It should be noted that under the rules of the Asian Games cricket event, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka were given direct entry into the knockout stage because of their superior rankings.
On the other hand, Hong Kong qualified for the quarter-final after finishing second in Group B. Pakistan has an impressive record in both hockey and cricket in the history of the Asian Games, and hopes of winning medals in these mega events have now grown further.
Tough semi-final tests and ground realities
Pakistan’s journey so far in the Asian Games reflects a highly aggressive strategy. Scoring 28 goals in five matches by the hockey team is clear evidence that the forward line is in excellent form.
However, the defensive line will have to remain more alert against a strong and traditional rival like India, as a repeat of the weaknesses seen against Malaysia could prove dangerous in the semi-final.