Pakistan Secures Spot in FIH Hockey World Cup Qualifiers Semi-Final

Pakistan's hockey team showcased another dominant performance against Malaysia to reach the semi-finals of the FIH World Cup Qualifiers 2026. They defeated the spirited Malaysian team by 5-3, exhibiting their strong form in the ongoing tournament.

Malaysia made the initial breakthrough in the match when Abdul Rauf scored the first goal in the 11th minute. However, this lead didn’t last long, as Pakistan’s Rana Waheed responded with a sharp goal in the very next minute.

Malaysia then scored again in the last minute of the first quarter to take the lead, putting pressure on Pakistan to come up with a renewed plan in the second quarter.

Analyzing the gaps in the Malaysian defence, the Pakistan team started the second quarter on a high note, as Hayat Zikriya struck the second goal and levelled the scoreline. The third quarter was very competitive, as Malaysia scored their third goal in the 39th minute before Pakistan’s Ahmed Nadeem came up with an equalizer in the 44th minute.

The green shirts then took a big lead in the last quarter, as Sufyan Khan and Muhammad Ammad scored consecutive goals to dent the hopes of the Malaysian team. It eventually allowed Pakistan to win the match by 5-3, and secure a confirmed place in the semi-finals of the FIH World Cup Qualifiers 2026.

Talking about the qualification scenario, the top four teams from the ongoing tournament will get confirmed spots in the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup that will be hosted by Belgium and Netherlands. Therefore, the green shirts are aiming to perform strongly in the current tournament, as it will strengthen their case for the upcoming marquee event.