Pakistan began its Asian Hockey Champions Trophy 2024 campaign with a 2-2 draw against Malaysia at the Moqi Hockey Training Base on Sunday.
Under the leadership of newly appointed Head Coach Tahir Zahan, Pakistan started strong with an aggressive first quarter. Nadeem Ahmed scored a goal in the third quarter, extending their lead to 2-0. However, Malaysia quickly responded with a goal from a penalty corner shortly after.
Despite holding onto a 2-1 lead until the final moments, Aiman Rozemi equalized for Malaysia in the dying minutes of the match, ending the game at 2-2.
Ammad Butt, Pakistan’s Hero of the Match, remarked, “Malaysia is a tough opponent. We started very well, but our defense faltered in the third and fourth quarters, which cost us the match. They capitalized on their short corners to come back, and that’s an area we need to improve for our next game. Winning Hero of the Match is a proud moment for me.”
Pakistan’s upcoming fixtures include matches against South Korea, Japan, China, and India on September 9, 11, 12, and 14, respectively.
