ISLAMABAD: Pakistan came agonisingly close to pulling off a major upset against arch-rivals India in the 20th Asian Games on Saturday, settling for a silver medal in cricket, while the volleyball team produced one of the country’s most memorable performances by winning bronze after a 64-year wait.
The hockey team also signed off with a bronze medal, recovering from the disappointment of missing the final by overpowering South Korea 5-3 in a thrilling third-place play-off.
It was a day of mixed emotions for Pakistan, with the cricket team fighting bravely against a formidable Indian total before falling 19 runs short, while the volleyball and hockey sides ensured that the national flag remained firmly on the Asian Games podium.
In the cricket final at the Korogi Athletics Park, Pakistan, chasing a daunting 212-run target, produced a spirited fightback led by Hasan Nawaz, whose breathtaking 51-ball 96 kept hopes of an unlikely victory alive until the closing stages. Hasan smashed seven towering sixes and five boundaries in a sensational counter-attacking innings, but the lack of substantial support from the other end ultimately denied Pakistan a remarkable chase.
Pakistan’s slow start proved costly. The Green Shirts managed only 39 runs during the powerplay, leaving themselves with a mountain to climb against India’s imposing total.
India had posted 211 for six in their 20 overs, with Abhishek Sharma making a valuable 61 to provide the foundation for the challenging total. Pakistan’s Arafat Minhas was the pick of the bowlers, claiming two wickets for 25 runs. Hasan, however, refused to surrender. His fearless strokeplay dramatically changed the complexion of the chase as Pakistan began to threaten an extraordinary comeback. But with wickets falling and the required run-rate mounting, the target eventually slipped beyond their reach.
Pakistan finished on 192, 19 runs short of the gold medal.
Sri Lanka defeated Bangladesh to take the bronze medal.
The biggest achievement of the day for Pakistan came in men’s volleyball, where the Green Shirts ended a 64-year wait for an Asian Games medal with a commanding straight-sets victory over China in the bronze-medal match. Playing at the Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Gymnasium, Pakistan produced a composed, confident and thoroughly professional performance to defeat China 25-18, 25-16, 25-18.
From the opening points, Pakistan took control of the contest, combining powerful attacks with disciplined blocking and outstanding defensive work. China struggled to establish any sustained momentum as Pakistan maintained pressure throughout the three sets.
Murad Khan, Afaq Khan and Usman Faryad were particularly impressive, playing key roles as Pakistan remained firmly in command. The bronze marked Pakistan’s first Asian Games volleyball medal since 1962, when the country also won bronze. Saturday’s triumph in Aichi-Nagoya therefore brought the national team back onto the Asian Games podium after a remarkable 64-year gap.
The achievement represents a significant milestone for Pakistan men’s volleyball and underlines the progress made through sustained preparation, international exposure and the development of players through different age-group levels.
The hockey team, meanwhile, had to settle for bronze after recovering brilliantly to defeat South Korea 5-3 in an action-packed third-place play-off at the Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium. Pakistan, who entered the competition as the No. 2 seed, were unable to reach the final but showed character and attacking flair to finish their campaign with a medal.
Sufyan Khan put Pakistan ahead in the fourth minute with a penalty-corner conversion before South Korea hit back strongly. Lee Gang-san equalised in the 12th minute, Kim Jung-bok put South Korea ahead in the 18th, and Yang Ji-hun converted a penalty corner in the 25th minute to give the Koreans a 3-1 advantage. Pakistan reduced the deficit through Abdul Rehman, who scored from a penalty corner in the 30th minute, leaving South Korea with a narrow 3-2 lead at half-time.
The second half belonged to Pakistan. Rana Waheed Ashraf struck twice in quick succession in the 52nd and 54th minutes, both from penalty corners, to put Pakistan back in front. Hannan Shahid then delivered the decisive blow in the 59th minute, completing a dramatic turnaround and sealing the bronze medal for the Green Shirts.
Pakistan’s campaign thus ended with a silver in cricket and bronzes in volleyball and hockey, providing a memorable finish to the country’s Asian Games journey. In other events, Pakistan’s Hamza Omar Saeed lost his opening-round taekwondo bout to Thailand’s Jack Mercer, while Inyatullah was eliminated in his opening bout of the 75kg freestyle wrestling competition.
