Pakistan’s men’s hockey team was defeated in the Olympic qualifiers. They lost 3-2 to New Zealand in the third/fourth place match in Muscat, Oman, impacting their chances for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Pakistan needed to finish third in the qualifiers to qualify for the Olympics. The first quarter of the match against New Zealand was scoreless. Abu Bakr Mahmood put Pakistan ahead in the second quarter with a successful penalty corner. However, New Zealand’s Scott Boyd soon equalized the situation.
Pakistan briefly regained the lead when Mahmood scored from a penalty stroke. They maintained this 2-1 lead until the final quarter. New Zealand’s Hugo Inglis then scored, tying the game. Boyd’s second goal in the 58th minute gave New Zealand a 3-2 victory.
This loss marked the end of Pakistan’s Olympic qualification bid. They had previously lost 4-0 to Germany in the semi-final. A draw against Malaysia earned them a vital point and advanced Pakistan to the semi-finals.
Earlier in the tournament, Pakistan defeated China 2-0 but then lost 6-1 to Britain. They could not secure the third position despite finishing second in Pool A.
