AMSTELVEEN: Pakistan ended their FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 campaign on a high note, defeating South Africa 4-3 in a penalty shootout after the 11th-place classification match ended 4-4 in regulation time at the Wagener Stadium in Amstelveen, Netherlands.
The result secured Pakistan’s best finish at the World Cup in 20 years. The Green Shirts had finished 12th in both the 2010 and 2018 editions, while they did not qualify for the 2014 and 2023 tournaments. Their previous best result came in 2006, when Pakistan finished sixth.
South Africa Take Early Lead
South Africa made a strong start and took the lead in the eighth minute through Trevor de Lora. Dayaan Cassiem then doubled the advantage three minutes into the second quarter, leaving Pakistan facing a two-goal deficit.
Pakistan responded impressively, however, scoring twice before halftime. Afraz opened Pakistan’s account before Mohammad Ammad found the net to bring the score level at 2-2.
The comeback continued after the break when Rana Waheed Ashraf scored in the 32nd minute to put Pakistan ahead for the first time.
Eight-Goal Thriller Goes Down to the Wire
South Africa refused to surrender their advantage easily. Mustaphaa Cassiem restored parity in the 40th minute, making it 3-3.
The South African forward struck again in the 55th minute, converting a penalty stroke to put his team 4-3 ahead with only minutes remaining.
Pakistan, however, produced another dramatic response. Muhammad Hammaduddin scored in the final minute to level the contest at 4-4 and force the classification match into a penalty shootout.
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Pakistan Hold Their Nerve in Shootout
The penalty shootout proved equally dramatic.
Zikriya Hayat and Umar Mustafa converted Pakistan’s opening attempts, while Hannan Shahid also found the target. South Africa scored through Dayaan Cassiem and Calvin Davis, but Hans Neethling and Jamie Seale missed their attempts.
Pakistan appeared close to victory when Rana Waheed Ashraf stepped up to take a decisive penalty, but he failed to convert. Mustaphaa Cassiem then scored for South Africa to keep his team’s hopes alive.
The responsibility ultimately fell on former Pakistan captain Ammad Butt. The veteran kept his composure under pressure and converted the final attempt to seal a 4-3 shootout victory for Pakistan.
Best World Cup Finish Since 2006
The 11th-place finish represents a notable improvement for Pakistan, particularly after the team returned to the World Cup following an eight-year absence.
Although the Green Shirts did not contend for the title, their ability to recover from difficult situations and secure a victory in a closely fought classification match provided a positive conclusion to their campaign.
The dramatic win over South Africa also ensured that Pakistan finished one place higher than their previous World Cup positions in 2010 and 2018, giving the team its strongest World Cup result since the sixth-place finish in 2006.
