Pakistan’s men’s hockey team made a spectacular debut in the Asian Games on Sunday, achieving a stunning 9-0 victory over Thailand in their pool ‘B’ match held at the Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium.
The team exhibited dominant performance throughout the game, with Ahmed Nadeem leading the charge by scoring three goals. Sufyan Khan also shone with two goals from penalty corners, demonstrating Pakistan’s control from the outset and not allowing Thailand any significant opportunities.
Moeen Shakeel set the tone early by scoring in the eighth minute, followed by Ammad Butt who extended the lead just four minutes later. Nadeem netted his first goal in the 20th minute, and Sufyan Khan struck twice within a span of two minutes, leaving Thailand struggling to keep pace.
The relentless assault continued in the third quarter, with Rana Waheed (31st minute) and Abdul Hanan Shahid (34th minute) adding their names to the scoresheet. Nadeem completed his hat-trick, scoring again in the 37th and 43rd minutes, culminating in a resounding victory for Pakistan.
Challenges in Other Sports
While the hockey team’s performance was commendable, the same could not be said for Pakistan’s other athletes at the Games. The day began on a disappointing note as all three competitors from the country failed to progress in their respective heats at the Tokyo Aquatic Centre.
In the men’s 100m freestyle, Hamza Asif secured second place in his heat with a time of 53.97 seconds, falling short of the winner, Mongolia’s Ninjin Enkhbaatar, who clocked 53.41 seconds. Unfortunately, Hamza’s performance dwindled towards the end, placing him 35th out of 43 swimmers overall.
In the women’s 50m breaststroke, national champion Hareem Malik finished her heat in last place with a time of 36.52 seconds. Mishael Aisha Hyat faced a similar outcome, finishing her heat in 37.02 seconds. Overall, Hareem ranked 22nd and Aisha 24th out of 25 competitors.
Boxing Draws and Upcoming Matches
On the same day, the boxing draws were announced, setting the stage for competitors to begin their quests for medals. Commonwealth bronze medallist Fatima Zehra is poised to kick off her campaign against Mijgona Samadova from Tajikistan in the women’s 60kg category.
Maria Rind has been given a bye in the preliminary round of the women’s 51kg category, allowing her to advance without competing in the initial round. In the men’s events, Sumama Rehman will face off against Meroj Sufijonov of Tajikistan in the 55kg category, while Irfan Khan is set to compete against Gichae Kim of South Korea in the 90kg division.
