Asian Games 2023: Pakistan lose 10-2 to arch-rivals India in hockey

Pakistan hockey team lost 10-2 to arch-rivals India in the ongoing Asian Games 2023 on Saturday.

India took control of the game from the start and battered Pakistan with back-to-back goals in the first quarter courtesy of Harmanpreet Singh and Mandeep Singh. In the second quarter, the Men in Blue scored two more goals to double their lead to 4-0.

Green Shirts tried to come back in the game in the third quarter and scored two goals. However, India continued to find the back of the net and scored three goals followed by three more in the fourth and last quarter leading to an impressive 10-2 victory over Pakistan.

For India, Harmanpreet scored four goals, Varun Kumar two, while Mandeep, Sumit, Shamsher Singh, and Lalit Kumar Upadhyay scored one each.

Pakistan's Mohammad Sufyan Khan and Waheed Rana Ashraf scored one each for the Green Shirts.

The Men in Green will now face Japan on October 2. Pakistan can still qualify for the semi-finals by drawing the match while Japan must have to win to reach the final four.

Earlier in the tournament, Pakistan in their second pool match triumphed over Bangladesh by securing a 5-2 win.

Before that, the Green Shirts had a thumping start to their journey in the Asian Games as they won 11-0 against Singapore in their opening match.

Squad

Goalkeepers: Akmal Hussain, Abdullah Ishtiyaq Khan, Waqar, Ali Raza, and Abdullah Sheikh.

Defenders: Mohammad Abdullah, Arbaz Ahmad, Mohammad Sufyan Khan, Aqeel Ahmed, and Mohammad Bilal Aslam.

Midfielders: Usama Bashir, Mohammad Murtaza Yaqoob, Arbaz Ayaz, Ahtisham Aslam, Mohammad Baqar, Mohammad Nadeem Khan, Mohammad Imran and Syed Shehbaz Haider.

Forwards: Mohammad Imad, Afraz, Roman, Arshad Liaquat, Abdul Qayyum, Abdul Rehman (Wapda), Waqar Ali, Mohammad Arsalan, Mohammad Umar Bhat, Mohammad Shahzaib Khan, Abdul Wahab, Zikriya Hayat, Bisharat Ali, Rana Waleed, Hamza Fayaz and Abdul Rehman.