LAHORE: Pakistan put up an impressive performance to edge Japan 4-3 in the semi-final of the FIH Hockey World Cup qualifier at the Suez Canal Authority Hockey Stadium in Egypt on Friday.

The win has guaranteed the Green Shirts a place in the global event and marks their return to the Hockey World Cup after eight years. The tournament will be hosted jointly by Belgium and the Netherlands in August.

The Pakistan team, led by Ammad Butt, was trailing 3-1 in the third quarter of the match against Japan, when it smashed three goals in the last nine minutes of the final quarter to edge ahead 4-3, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.

Ammad gave his side an early lead in the ninth minute with an impressive field goal. The lead, which remained intact till the end of the first quarter, was neutralised in the second quarter (21st minute) when Japan’s Ryoma Ooka scored a field goal.

In an inspiring show, Japan took control of the match in the penultimate quarter when Shota Yamada (35th minute) and Yamasaki Koji (40th minute) struck in quick succession to take a solid 3-1 lead.

However, in a sensational comeback in the final quarter, Pakistan’s Abu Bakr Mahmood, Sufyan Khan and Afraz scored a goal each in the 52nd, 55th and 57th minute, respectively, to reclaim the lead that remained intact till the final whistle.

Just two minutes before the end of the match, Japan lost a golden opportunity to equalise when Fujishima Raiki missed a penalty-stroke.

Pakistan have put up an impressive show in the qualifier, winning all of their group matches against China (5-4), Malaysia (5-3) and Austria (4-2) and Japan (4-3)

Ammad and company will now face England — who routed Malaysia 7-1 in the other last-four match — in the final of the qualifying event at the same venue on Saturday.

Once a giant force in global hockey and four-time World Cup winners, Pakistan had failed to qualify for the 2014 World Cup held in The Hague, Netherlands, and finished poorly in 12th position in the 16-nation edition staged in Bhubaneswar, India in 2018. Pakistan had also failed to qualify for the 2023 World Cup held in the Indian city of Odisha.

India face New Zealand on Sunday in Ahmedabad, looking to become the first side to lift the T20 World Cup for a third time but under huge pressure with the weight of a nation on their shoulders.

Standing in the way of Suryakumar Yadav’s side are a team who have already upset the odds with a thumping nine-wicket win over the previously unbeaten South Africa to reach the final.

New Zealand believe, after Finn Allen’s record 33-ball century in the semi-final in Kolkata, that they are capable of taking down the hosts to win their maiden T20 World Cup title.

“We’ve got a lot of momentum going into the weekend,” warned Allen. “I think if we play our best cricket, we can beat anybody.”

India will not only have to withstand the expectations of 100,000-plus cricket-obsessed fans in a packed Narendra Modi stadium and hundreds of millions more watching on TV, but also the weight of history.

The world’s top-ranked T20 team are attempting to become the first to win back-to-back T20 World Cups and the first to lift the trophy on home soil.

“There will definitely be pressure and nerves, especially playing in India and going for the title,” said Suryakumar after a nerve-shredding seven-run win against England in a high-scoring semi-final.

“But the boys and the whole support staff are excited as well.”

India have effectively played three knockout games to reach the final, after losing their opening Super Eights match to South Africa.

They hammered Zimbabwe by 72 runs and chased down 196 to beat the West Indies in must-win games to reach Thursday’s semi-final against England.

After posting a mammoth 253-7 against Harry Brook’s side, India needed a pivotal 18th over from death-bowling master Jasprit Bumrah to stave off an England batting assault.

‘Showed character’

Bumrah conceded just six runs from his final over to leave England with too much to do and, despite Jacob Bethell’s 105, India held on to spark wild celebrations.

Suryakumar acknowledged he was lucky to have such a unique talent to call upon in the crucial moments.

“We all know what he’s capable of and what he’s done for India over the years. He did the same thing again today, raised his hand and showed character to pull the game away from them,” he said.

“It was a special bowling performance.”

The main concerns for India are the form of opening batsman Abhishek Sharma and leading spinner Varun Chakravarthy.

Both are number one in the International Cricket Council T20 rankings but have been out of sorts as the tournament heads to its climax.

Abhishek had three consecutive ducks in the group phase and his only score of any note was a fifty against Zimbabwe.

Chakravarthy was targeted mercilessly by England’s batsmen at Mumbai’s Wankhede stadium as they pummelled him for 64 runs from his four overs.

He has taken just four wickets since the group phase.

Mitchell Santner’s New Zealand have blown hot and cold, having been beaten by South Africa and England earlier in the tournament.

But all their players are hitting form at the right time and they have enough firepower to upset India.

They crucially also have nothing to lose as they will go into the final as huge underdogs.

Opener Tim Seifert, who has three fifties in the tournament, has been consistently setting a platform for the likes of Allen and Glenn Phillips to launch.

“I just looked to play almost a support role to Tim,” said Allen after the semi-final, where Seifert hit 58 off 33 balls as the pair put on 117 for the first wicket in 9.1 overs.

“He’s in incredible form, he’s an incredible player and I think he’s just showing the world what he can do,” he said.

“I think that makes it easy for me to sit back and have the best seat in the house.”

BRIGHTON: Arsenal seized control of the Premier League title race as Bukayo Saka’s goal secured a priceless 1-0 win at Brighton and Hove Albion and Manchester City could only draw 2-2 at home to relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest on Wednesday.

Mikel Arteta’s side went into their south coast assignment leading the table but looking over their shoulders at City, but ended the night with a first title since 2004 glinting on the horizon after a big swing in their favour.

Saka’s deflected effort in the ninth minute proved sufficient as Arsenal kept a 14th Premier League clean sheet of the season with a gritty display that Saka described as ‘ugly’.

Gunners keeper David Raya went down injured on three separate occasions and required treatment, sparking suggestions he was faking to allow time for tactical discussions between Arteta and his players.

Later at the press conference Brig­hton coach Fabian Hurzeler accused Arsenal of time-wasting and faking injuries and claimed that the Gunners “make their own rules”.

“I think there was only one team that tried to play football today. Did you see in a Premier League game a goalkeeper going down that many times? No?” Hurzeler said.

“They (Arsenal) make their own rules. At the moment I have the feeling they are doing their own rules. “I will never be the kind of manager who tries to win in that way.”

Yet Arteta was unrepentant about Arsenal’s game plan, insisting his players deserved praise for grinding out another vital victory.

“What a surprise,” he said when informed of Hurzeler’s claims. “If you go back through previous games you will find a lot of comments like this, always. I love my players. That’s the highlight. I love my players and I love the way we compete.”

Meanwhile, wasteful City twice led with goals by Antoine Semenyo and Rodri but both times Forest hit back, first through Morgan Gibbs-White’s crafty backheel and then in the 76th minute through Elliot Anderson’s low drive.

City dominated Forest and should have been celebrating a fifth successive league win but they looked deflated at the final whistle as two points slipped away, although manager Pep Guardiola said there was still a long way to go.

“Still many games to play, them one less,” Guardiola said of the gap to Arsenal. “Now it’s Newcastle (in the FA Cup) and I always think about what’s next.

“If we analyse, then in general it was a good performance and there were many good things. Of course we have things we can improve but in general pretty good.”

City bombarded Forest’s area in the closing stages and almost scored with the last kick of the game but Savinho’s effort was cleared off the line by Murillo.

Arsenal have 67 points from 30 games to City’s 60 from 29 and are now firmly in the driving seat again, although they do still have to go to City on April 19.

The battle for a top-five finish and qualification for the Champions League took another twist as Manchester United suffered their first defeat under interim manager Michael Carrick, losing 2-1 to 10-man Newcastle United.

William Osula came off the bench to score a superb late solo winner for Eddie Howe’s side.

Newcastle had Jacob Ramsey sent off for a second yellow card in first-half stoppage time but they then took the lead with an Anthony Gordon penalty only for Casemiro to head an equaliser in a chaotic spell before the halftime whistle.

“Newcastle deserved to win tonight, it hurts me to say that,” Carrick said. “That is how it was. We need to get back to work and be better for the next game.”

United remained in third place with 51 points while Aston Villa also have 51 in fourth place after being thrashed 4-1 at home by Chelsea, for whom Joao Pedro scored a hat-trick. Chelsea moved above Liverpool into fifth place with 48 points.

“There is still three points difference between them and us but now we are in a bad moment,” Villa boss Unai Emery said.

Forest’s surprise draw at City kept them out of the relegation zone on goal difference from West Ham United who won 1-0 at Fulham thanks to a goal by Crysencio Summerville.

Both sides have 28 points and are breathing down the necks of Tottenham Hotspur who have 29 ahead of their now crucial home clash with Crystal Palace.

Published in Dawn, March 6th, 2026