- Pakistan will face Japan in the final of Sultan Azlan Shah Cup 2024.
- Japan and Pakistan remain undefeated throughout the tournament.
- Abdul Hannan Shahid praises Japan’s strong defense.
Pakistan is set to compete against Japan in the final of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup 2024, taking place in Ipoh, Malaysia, today.
The match will be aired live starting from 5:30pm (Pakistan Standard Time).
The round matches of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup 2024 concluded on Friday, with Japan and Pakistan emerging as the top two teams on the points table, both having remained undefeated throughout the round-robin matches.
Japan secured the top spot with 13 points, having won four matches and drawn one. Pakistan, on the other hand, held the second position with 11 points.
In an earlier discussion about Pakistan’s final opponents, forward Abdul Hannan Shahid highlighted the strength of Japan’s defensive line, which has only allowed four goals, the lowest in the tournament so far, in as many matches.
“Japan are defensively very solid and they don’t give many openings to their opponents,” he stated. “As far as attack is concerned, they might not be as creative as some of the other teams but they are quite effective in taking advantage of their opponents’ mistakes on the field.”
“Pakistan have scored a high number of goals but at the same time, we are conceding at the other end as well. However, we will try to rectify our defensive flaws in the remaining matches,” he further added.
Pakistan’s performance in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup should serve as a morale boost for the team, particularly as they are scheduled to participate in the FIH Nations Cup in Gniezno, Poland, from May 31 to June 9. The Nations Cup holds significance as the victorious team will earn the chance to compete in the FIH Hockey Pro League for the 2024-25 season.
Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan, the Chairman of the Prime Minister Youth Program, confirmed on Friday that the premier, Shehbaz Sharif, will reward the players if they clinch the tournament.
“The promotion of sports in Pakistan is among prime minister’s priorities,” Mashhood added.
In other matches today, Canada will take on Korea in the 5th/6th place match at 1:00pm, while Malaysia will face off against New Zealand for the 3rd/4th place position at 3:15pm.
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