The Pakistan Hockey Team fell short of qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics after a devastating loss to New Zealand in the final 8 minutes.
In a heart-wrenching turn of events, the Kiwis managed to secure a 3-2 victory over the Shaheens, eliminating Pakistan from the competition and securing the third position for themselves. Despite initially leading 2-1 until the last quarter, with Abu Bakar scoring two goals for Pakistan, the game took a detrimental turn as the Green Shirts conceded numerous penalty corners to the Kiwis. In the crucial last quarter, Pakistan missed two golden opportunities, including a close-range chance by Abdul Hanan Shahid. New Zealand, sensing the nervousness in the Pakistani ranks, capitalized on the situation. Once they equalized, the game was within their grasp, and they seized the opportunity to secure the win.
FT: New Zealand 3-2 Pakistan
Pakistan's Olympics 2024 dream is over.
2016 ❌
2020 ❌
2024 ❌What an embarrassing decline for the three-time Olympic gold medallists.#HockeyInvites #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/NicJ7dpQar
— Muneeb Farrukh (@Muneeb313_) January 21, 2024
After the match, both supporters and players experienced profound disappointment as the Pakistan Hockey team fell short of qualifying for the Olympics for the third consecutive time. Despite being three-time Olympic Champions, Pakistan could not secure spots in the 2016, 2020, and 2024 Olympics. Captain Ammad Butt, in a post-match press conference, highlighted the flaws in the system, stating, “While people expect us to win, they are unaware of the daily challenges faced by players.
I won’t publicly express the injustice suffered by hockey players in Pakistan, but our hearts are shattered.” Well-known hockey commentator Simon Mason remarked during the game, “This is the best defensive performance by Pakistan in the last 5 years.”
Notably, Pakistan’s hockey players face issues such as irregular payments and the perpetual disarray of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF). Despite these challenges, Pakistan made efforts to compete against top teams globally, securing victories against China and a thrilling draw against Malaysia in the semifinals, following a challenging 6-1 loss to Great Britain in the group stage’s opening match.
The match against New Zealand also showcased Pakistan’s commendable resilience, determination, and fighting spirit. This year, Lahore Qalandars sponsored the Pakistan Hockey Federation due to insufficient funds, enabling the team to participate in Oman. In 2018, the Hockey Federation faced financial constraints and required support from Javed Afridi of Peshawar Zalmi to overcome their funding challenges.
