Achi news desk-
Ipoh (Sports Desk) Pakistan managed a draw against New Zealand in the 30th Azlan Shah Hockey Cup tournament on Friday, maintaining their unbeaten run. In the match held in Ipoh, Malaysia, which was Pakistan’s fifth, the match ended in a stalemate with each team winning a point, as confirmed by the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF).
The 18-man squad is led by senior player Imad Shakeel, with Abubakar serving as vice-captain. In terms of standings, Japan is currently on top with 13 points, followed by Pakistan with 11 points. New Zealand is third with seven points, while Malaysia is behind with one less point.
In the first half of the match, the team of Pakistan and New Zealand could not score a goal. However, New Zealand broke the deadlock with a field goal in the 35th minute. Pakistan responded in the 43rd minute with Abu Bakr’s goal during a penalty kick.
Pakistan and Japan, after their victories on Wednesday, have booked their place in the final match on Saturday at 5:30pm (PKT) at the Azlan Shah Stadium in Ipoh. Pakistan beat Canada 5-4 while Japan won 2-1 against Malaysia.
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Pakistan have won three matches against Malaysia, South Korea and Canada, and drawn against Japan and New Zealand. Meanwhile, Japan made it four wins with a draw after a 3-1 win against Canada.
Looking ahead, head coach Roland Oltmans expressed hope for Pakistan’s performance in the tournament, expecting a better performance from the team. Oltmans, with his vast experience, has been involved with Pakistan’s senior and junior teams since 2004, and recently joined the youth team.
In previous editions, Pakistan won the Azlan Shah Cup title three times – in 1999, 2000, and 2003 – and finished third in the 2022 edition, also held in Ipoh. Malaysia is the defending champion of this year’s tournament.
