Pakistan moved up one spot in the most recent rankings published by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) on Sunday, moving up to position 15.
The Pakistani hockey team has made a remarkable return. From 2018 to 2022, they held the 18th position in the rankings, but thanks to some strong showings in the previous year, they have moved up a spot.
The teams that the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) put out in the 2022–23 season not only raised their nation’s position in the global rankings but also took home medals.
At the Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey Cup in Malaysia, the senior team took home a bronze medal.
The junior team also performed admirably; they placed second in the Asian Junior Hockey Championship 2023, earning a silver medal, and thanks to their outstanding play, they qualified for the Junior Hockey World Cup, which will be held in Malaysia in December.
It should be noted that Pakistan did not take part in the FIH Pro League in 2018, which lost them points and caused their ranking to drop from 12th to 18th.
The PHF also announced a 10-man team earlier today for the next five-a-side hockey World Cup qualifiers, which will start on September 2 in Oman.
Pakistani team
Goalkeepers: Ali Raza and Abdullah Ishtiaq Khan
Mohammad Abdullah (VC) is a defender.
Ahtisham Aslam and Mohammad Murtaza Yaqoob are midfielders.
Arshad Liaquat, Zakaria Hayat, Rana Abdul Waheed (c), Abdul Rehman, and Abdul Wahab are the attacking players. Lt. Colonel Yameen Khan will serve as the team manager, and Olympian Waseem Feroz will act as the team’s head coach.
