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DHAKA: Dominant Pakistan thrashed Bangladesh 10-3 in the final game of the three-match qualifier series here at the Maulana Bhashani Stadium on Sunday.
Pakistan had already secured a spot in the FIH Hockey World Cup Qualifiers in Belgium after registering two dominant wins in their play-off series against Bangladesh.
The Hockey World Cup Qualifiers 2026 will take place from February 28 to March 8, 2026.
The Green Shirts remained dominant throughout the series, sweeping the hosts with comprehensive wins in all three matches.
In the final game, Pakistan put in a commendable performance, netting five goals in the first half, whereas Bangladesh managed to score only one.
The dominance continued till the end as the visitors doubled the goals and eventually outplayed them to seal an emphatic win.
Sufyan Khan was named the Top Scorer of the Tournament, while Ammad Butt was given the Best Player of the Tournament award due to his attacking game during the three-match series.
Earlier, Pakistan secured victories in the opening two games of the series with margins of 8-2 and 8-0 respectively.
It is noteworthy to mention that the series was initiated by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) after Pakistan was unable to travel to India for the Asia Cup in August and September due to strained political relations between the two neighboring countries.
Pakistan hockey team’s next assignment will be its maiden appearance in the FIH Pro League. The tournament is scheduled to kick off next month in Argentina.
The seventh edition of the competition will feature nine teams: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, England, Germany, India, the Netherlands, Spain, and Pakistan, with Ireland relegated after finishing last in the previous season.
The highlight of the season will undoubtedly be the clash between Pakistan and arch-rivals India, set to take place in London on June 23 and 26, 2026.
Pakistan will begin their campaign in Rosario, Argentina, where they face the Netherlands on December 10, followed by hosts Argentina on December 12. The Green Shirts will play 16 matches in total across four international legs.
Their second assignment takes them to Hobart, Australia, in February, where they go head-to-head with the hosts and Germany.
In June, Pakistan will feature in the European leg of the tournament with fixtures against Belgium and Spain in Wavre, before moving to London for the final round against England and India.
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