AICHI-NAGOYA: Pakistan thrashed Oman 7-2 to qualify for the semi-finals of the Asian Games 2026 at the Nagoya Kinjo Futo Arena.
Pakistan started the quarter-final on the front foot and held a 2-1 lead at half-time.
Rana Waheed scored a hat-trick for Pakistan, while Sufyan Khan netted twice. Ghazanfar Ali and Mohammad Imad scored one goal each. Pakistan finished second in Pool B with 12 points, behind Malaysia, who topped the group with 15 points. Pakistan won four of their five pool matches, with their only defeat coming against Malaysia.
The team scored 28 goals across five matches and conceded eight. The Green Shirts will face arch-rival India in the semi-final on October 1. Meanwhile, Pakistan advanced to the Asian Games men’s cricket semi-finals after rain washed out their quarter-final against Hong Kong, China, in Nisshin, Japan.
The abandonment of the fixture meant the Green Shirts, on the virtue of being the better-ranked side, advanced into the semi-finals, while it marked the end of Hong Kong’s campaign at the Games.
A few hours later, with rain in the air, India progressed against Afghanistan with no prospect of play for the same reason.
Pakistan had entered the knockout stage directly alongside India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka by virtue of their rankings, while Hong Kong secured their quarter-final place after finishing second in Group B. –Agencies
