Former Pakistan hockey captain and Olympian Hanif Khan has called for a generational change in the national team, saying it is time to bid farewell to senior players and give emerging talent a chance to shine.
He said the failure and defeat of the Pakistan hockey team were deeply disappointing, but the focus must now shift to the future. Preparations for the next World Cup should begin immediately. The 68-year-old Hanif Khan, who was a member of Pakistan’s gold medal-winning hockey team at the 1984 Olympics, said it was unfortunate that Pakistan could not win a single match at the World Cup. He also questioned the team’s coaching setup, saying it was unfortunate that the national side was being coached by a former goalkeeper.
It should be noted that in the crucial match of the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026, India defeated Pakistan 5–3 to qualify for the second stage of the tournament, bringing Pakistan’s World Cup campaign to an end.
Pakistan was eliminated from the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup after suffering a 5-3 defeat to arch-rivals India at the Wagener Hockey Stadium in Amstelveen. The loss, Pakistan’s second in three Group D matches, ended their hopes of progressing to the next stage of the tournament, co-hosted by the Netherlands and Belgium.
Pakistan entered the crucial clash needing a win to keep their knockout-stage hopes alive. They had previously suffered a 1-4 defeat against England before drawing 3-3 with Wales. However, the defeat to India sealed their exit from the competition.
India scored two early goals to put Pakistan under immediate pressure in a crucial Pool D encounter at the Wagener Stadium in Amstelveen. The high-stakes clash carries major qualification implications for both sides. India entered the match with three points from two games, having beaten Wales 3-1 before suffering a 2-4 defeat against England.
Pakistan, meanwhile, had collected just one point after losing to England and drawing with Wales. With England already assured of a top-two finish, India need at least a draw to secure their place in the next round. Pakistan, however, must win to keep their World Cup campaign alive. The early goals have given India a strong advantage, while Pakistan now face an uphill battle to stay in contention.