ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s national field hockey team will lock horns with Poland today, Monday, for a Hockey5s World Cup clash in Oman, a day after the green shirts beat Nigeria but lost to the Netherlands.
Pakistan started the Hockey5s World Cup tournament on a winning note on Sunday, comprehensively beating Nigeria 11-5 in a match that saw hattricks by skipper Rana Abdul Waheed Ashraf and Abdul Hanan Shahid.
However, Pakistan’s joy was short-lived as Waheed’s men lost to the Netherlands in a closely fought encounter with a 3-5 the same day in Muscat. Dutch player Alexander Schop scored a hattrick in the match to hand his team the victory, which helped the Netherlands become the first team to qualify for the quarterfinals of the tournament.
According to IHF’s schedule, Pakistan will face Poland on Monday at 10:30 a.m. Gulf Standard Time (11:30 a.m. Pakistan Standard Time) for their third group match.
Hockey5s, also known as Field Hockey5s, is a variation of traditional field hockey that has gained traction in many countries around the world. H5s involves five players on each team, including one goalkeeper, instead of the usual 11.
The matches, as a result, are much faster and designed to ensure hockey becomes a more exciting sport for spectators. Sixteen teams, divided into four pools are featuring in the first-ever Hockey 5s World Cup.
Pakistan are in Pool A with Nigeria, the Netherlands, and Poland.
